Former President John Dramani Mahama
Former President John Dramani Mahama has described the late Ama Benyiwa Doe as one of the most inspirational icons of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who was not only a politician but a gender activist and a champion of women’s rights.
John Dramani Mahama, who led the NDC in the recent past Presidential election noted that the late Ms Benyiwa Doe was an embodiment of limitless courage, commitment and passion for service.
“I have received with deep sadness, news of the demise of one of the most inspirational icons to have served our party, the NDC, and this great nation.
She was not only a politician, but also a gender activist and champion of women’s rights.
Ama Benyiwa Doe was an embodiment of limitless courage, commitment and passion for service.
May her soul rest in eternal glory,” he wrote.
The late Benyiwa Doe was a stalwart of the NDC in the Central Region who held various positions in the party and in government.
Profile of Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe
Ama Benyiwa Doe, born in 1950, attended L.A Middle School where she obtained her GCE Ordinary Level certificate. She then proceeded to Accra Workers College where she obtained her GCE Advance Level certificate before advancing to M.I Kaliun School where she obtained her Diploma degree.
She was first elected into parliament during the December 1992 Ghanaian General Elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress as a member of the Gomoa West Constituency in the Central Region.
During the 1996 elections, she polled 17,504 votes out of the 33,955 valid votes cast representing 35.60% against Joyce Aidoo an NPP member who polled 10,866 votes, Samuel Attah-Eyison who polled 4,827 votes and Oduro Baffoe, an NCP member, who polled 758 votes.
She won in 2000 with 12,995 votes out of the 28,089 valid votes cast representing 46.30% against Benjamin Kojo Acquah, an NPP member who polled 11,248 votes, Kofi Amissah Essandoh, a CPP member who polled 2,468 votes and Muhammed M. Kassim, an NRP member who also polled 1,378 votes.
Ama was nominated by President Mills in January 2009 as the Central Regional Minister in Ghana, she became a Regional Minister of State on January 2009 to 2012 for the Central Region of Ghana. She was also a former member of the council of State.
Ama occupied the seat as a member of parliament for the Gomoa West Constituency from 1992 until 2004 where she was defeated by Joe Kingsley Hackman of the New Patriotic Party in the 2004 Ghanaian general elections with total votes cast of 23,663 representing 63.20% of the total votes over her (Ama), with her total votes cast as 12,165 representing 32.50% of the total votes.
Other opponents; Joseph Assan Sackey of the Convention Peoples Party who polled 863 votes representing 2.30% of the total votes cast, Muhammed Mutawakil Kassim of the National Reform Party who had 533 votes representing 2.30% of the total votes cast and John Thompson of the Great Consolidated Popular Party who also polled 216 votes representing 0.60% the total votes cast. She continued to work for the National Democratic Congress as national women’s organizer before her further elevation by John Mahama.