The Government of Ghana, under the auspices of President John Mahama, has announced plans to hold a state funeral for the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, on Friday, November 28, 2025, at the Independence Square in Accra.
In a statement signed by the Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidency said the state funeral is in recognition of Mrs. Agyeman-Rawlings’ invaluable contributions to the advancement of the rights of women and children in Ghana and to national development.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings passed away on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Ridge Hospital in Accra at the age of 76.
Her passing was met with widespread grief across the country, as tributes poured in from political leaders, civil society organisations, and ordinary Ghanaians who remembered her as a trailblazer and advocate for women’s empowerment.
Following her death, Parliament suspended its sitting in her honour, while her family appealed to the public for privacy during the mourning period.
Nana Konadu’s public life spanned more than four decades. As Ghana’s longest-serving First Lady, she transformed what had been a largely ceremonial role into one of active social and political engagement.
She served alongside her husband, the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, first during the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council era in 1979, and later throughout his two decades in power from 1981 to 2001.
Beyond her role as First Lady, Nana Konadu was a pioneer in the fight for women’s empowerment and gender equality.
In 1982, she founded the 31st December Women’s Movement, a nationwide organisation that mobilised women, especially in rural communities, to participate in education, entrepreneurship, and local governance.
