Parliament Adjourns Sitting Following Death of Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings

ACCRA, Ghana — Parliament has adjourned its sitting following the passing of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, former First Lady of Ghana and founder of the 31st December Women’s Movement. A statement from parliamentary correspondents confirmed that the House rose in respect and suspended business upon the announcement of her death on October 23, 2025. Members of Parliament were visibly somber as the news came as a shock to many legislators.

Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, extended condolences on behalf of the House and assured the bereaved family and the nation of Parliament’s support during this difficult period.

Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, described the late former First Lady as a formidable and visionary leader. “We know her passion for the country. It is not surprising that she accomplished so much, including mobilising women to stand up for themselves and take charge of their lives,” Ricketts-Hagan said.

Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, also paid tribute, describing her as “a force in the politics of Ghana” whose impact on women’s empowerment and national development “can never be erased.”

Fred Kwesi Agbenyo, MP for Guan, highlighted her enduring influence on Ghana’s social and political landscape. “She’s somebody we will remember forever and ever. Her contribution to Ghana’s development is something that will not be lost on us for several years to come,” he stated.

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings served as Ghana’s First Lady during the tenure of her late husband, Jerry John Rawlings, first in 1979 and again from 1982 to 2001. She was widely recognized for her trailblazing advocacy for women’s rights, social justice, and her instrumental role in the passage of the Intestate Succession Law, which strengthened inheritance rights for women in Ghana.

Her life and work have left an enduring legacy one rooted in empowerment, activism, and service to the Ghanaian people.

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