Politics of Thursday, 14 December 2017

Source: Daniel Kaku

Nana Oye Lithur to contest for NDC National Women Organiser position?

Nana Oye Lithur Nana Oye Lithur

Posters of Mrs. Nana Oye Lithur for National Women Organiser for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have gone viral on social media.

The posters came with the inscription, 'Endorse Nana Oye, as National Women Organiser; Advocate for Women Empowerment'.

Although the NDC has not opened nominations yet, some bigwigs and others members of the party have shown their interest in taking National Women Organiser position to lead the women in the party into 2020 general elections.

The current National Women Organiser of the party is Mrs. Haijia Zinabu Mahama and whether she will seek for re-election or not, she is yet to declare her intention.

However, the reporter, Daniel Kaku cannot confirm or otherwise if she is aware of the posters and whether she will want to take up the National Women Organiser position but till now Mrs. Nana Oye Lithur is silent on the circulation.

Nana Oye Lithur is currently receiving overwhelmingly endorsement on social media and this can influence her decision to contest for the position.

Meanwhile the NDC is said to have scheduled its national congress to take place in the Volta Region in 2018.

Background

Nana Oye Lithur is a Ghanaian barrister and politician.

She was the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection in Ghana.

She was appointed in 2013 by President John Mahama after the Ghanaian general election.

She is a member of the National Democratic Congress .

Behind the apparent tough personality, is a lovely wife to Mr Tony Lithur, a lawyer in private practice, and a caring mother to four children: Nikita Sena Lithur, Anthony Dodzi, Michael Edem and Christopher Kekeli.

Born to the late Mr Michael Bampoe Addo, a former Deputy Controller and Accountant General at the Accountant General’s Department and the late Madam Victoria Duamroh, a former Senior Nursing Officer at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, life definitely began on a smooth note for Mrs Lithur.

Education

She attended Ridge Church School, where she was imbibed with analytical skills that she continues to put to good use today.

At Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast, where she studied and obtained her General Certificate of Examination (GCE), Ordinary and Advanced levels, the spirit of helping others was inculcated in Mrs Lithur. Nana Oye Lithur has a Bachelor of Law (BL) from the School of Law, Accra (1992) and a Masters in Law, Human Rights and Democratization in Africa (LLM) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa (2001).

She is currently Chief Executive Director of the Human Rights Advocacy Centre. For years she worked as the Regional Coordinator (Africa Office) for the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).

Awards

Mrs Lithur is a beneficiary of the ‘Vera Chirwa Award for Human Rights in Africa, 2007’, from the University of Pretoria.

She is also a recipient and champion torch bearer for women rights, one of 100 selected globally by the Danish Government in 2008.

She also received the African Servant Leadership Award in 2011; the Champion of Women’s Rights Award in 2012, and the West African Women in Leadership Award for “Distinguished Impact”.

She was selected by the Commonwealth Secretary General to be part of the Commonwealth Observer Group for the Guyana national and regional elections in November 2011.

She has also been made a honourary member of the Institute of Public Relations.