Accra, March 27, GNA - The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs on Tuesday paid tribute to Madam Hawa Yakubu, who died a week ago, saying she would be remembered in Ghana's history among the women who fought selflessly to make a strong point about gender equality and harnessing of abilities of women for sustainable development. "You really demonstrated that it is worthwhile to educate a girl-child to the highest level possible instead of forcing her into marriage," the statement signed by Mrs Marian Tackie, Director, for the Minister Hajia Alima Mahama said.

"You proved to all and sundry that when a girl-child is given equal opportunity to education, she will rise to the occasion and achieve her dreams and contribute effectively to national development," it added. The Ministry described her as a peacemaker and a woman of substance, a strong tower and a stalwart in the political playing field, which is very tough and uneven for women.

It said her exemplary lifestyle, humility, selflessness, generosity, assertiveness, and ability to blend rich and cultural heritage with modernity would be emulated.

Madam Yakubu, popularly known as "Iron Lady" for her resilience, forthrightness, determination to fight, died in a London Hospital on March 20.

She was a former MP for Bawku Central, Minister of Tourism and Member of the ECOWAS Parliament.

Madam Yakubu, a native of Pusiga in the Upper East Region, was born in Tarkwa in the Western Region on March 24, 1948 to Mr Yakubu Awinaba and Hajia Azore.

She attended the Zebilla Middle School, Navrongo Secondary School and Accra Polytechnic where she obtained a certificate in Institutional Management. She recently obtained a Master's Degree in Leadership and Governance from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.

Madam Yakubu's political career started in 1979 when she was elected into the Local Council, which in turn elected her to the Constituent Assembly that wrote the 1979 Third Republic Constitution. Although her mother was an activist of the Convention People's Party (CPP), she joined the late William Ofori-Atta when he formed the United National Convention (UNC) for the 1979 election won by Dr Hilla Limann of the pro-Nkrumah People's National Party (PNP). She fled to London when the Provisional National Defence Council came to power on December 1981 and lived in the United Kingdom and Nigeria before returning home in 1991.

Madam Yakubu contested the 1992 parliamentary election as an independent candidate in Bawku Central, which she won. She lost the seat in controversial circumstances and after conceding defeat, left for Cotonou, Benin, where she worked as Executive Director of the GERDDES, an NGO that observes elections. She returned in 2000 to win back the seat but lost it again in 2004. She had four children, two sons (Felix and Derek) during her first marriage to Mr Amadu Ayebo and two daughters (Amanda and Dieudonne) during her second marriage to defunct Nigeria Airways pilot Hodge Ogede. Felix passed away in 2000.