The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has dismissed long-held claims that the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, was hostile or opposed to the media during her time in public life.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, October 24, Mr. Adams said the perception that Mrs. Rawlings was “not media-friendly” stemmed largely from the political climate of the time and misconceptions about her strong personality and principled nature.
“So what it was, was that even as it is today, the media kind of found a way to be the opposition of what is supposed to have been opposition,” he said.
He explained that Mrs. Rawlings’ public image was shaped during a period when Ghana was under a military regime, led by her husband, the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, before the return to constitutional democracy.
“Don’t forget that she came in at a time when we didn’t have a constitutional democracy. So there was really no voice opposing the government. It was a military regime that was in place,” he noted.
According to Mr. Adams, the media at the time often served as a channel for alternative or dissenting voices, creating the impression that the former First Lady was unfriendly toward journalists.
“You would expect to see a certain level of perception as if the person is not friendly to the media. But if you check from those who were in the media, especially the state media, she was one of the very close persons — one of the go-to persons — who gave voice to women in broadcasting,” he said.
He added that Nana Konadu actively supported women in the media and worked to empower them, even when the media environment was not as liberalised as it is today.
“She was much more open to the media than many others,” Mr. Adams said, emphasising that her commitment to women’s empowerment and grassroots governance was unmatched.
“Together with former President Rawlings, she believed that governance must be closer to the people. She encouraged women to contest as assembly members and have a voice in local governance. Her legacy in governance and women’s empowerment is unquestionable,” he added.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Ghana’s longest-serving First Lady, passed away on Thursday at the Ridge Hospital in Accra at the age of 76. She served across both the military and civilian administrations of her husband, shaping Ghana’s political and social landscape for over two decades.
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