General News of Sunday, 17 October 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-10-17Ama Benyiwa Doe to be buried on December 18 at Gomoa Abura - Family
Ama Benyiwa Doe served as Central Regional minister from 2009 to 2014
• Veteran politician Ama Benyiwa Doe passed away on September 19, 2021
• She was a former MP and Central Regional Minister under the National Democratic Congress government
• Her family says her funeral will take place in December and she will be buried in the Central Region
The
Read full articlefuneral ceremony for National Democratic Congress, NDC, stalwart; Ama Benyiwa-Doe has been slated for December 18, 2021.
The family of the one-time lawmaker and Central Regional Minister announced the dates during the one-week celebration of the late NDC stalwart, held on Saturday, October 16.
People from all walks of life visited the Accra residence of the woman affectionately referred to as "Ama Chavez, to partake in the observance.
She died on September 19, 2021 at Tema after a protracted illness.
The party's Vice-presidential candidate in the 2020 polls, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, were among some top politicians in attendance.
Head of the family, George Blankson told journalists at the event that Benyiwa Doe will be interred at Gomoa Abura in the Central Region.
“The funeral has been scheduled for the 18th of December 2021 and the venue will be Gomoa Abura,” he said.
“She could look at you in the face and tell you the truth, whether it is bitter or sweet. We have lost someone who is open and straightforward and still keeps you close to her as a mother. That is one part that we are going to miss,” he said in tribute to the former NDC National Council of Elders member.
Profile of the late Ama Benyiwa Doe
Ama Benyiwa Doe was an astute politician and former Central Regional Minister under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a social justice advocate.
She was born in 1950 and christened Comfort Saah. She was also a native of Gomoa West in the Central Region of Ghana.
Education
Ama Benyiwa Doe first attended the L. A. Middle School where she obtained her General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level Certificate.
She then proceeded to the Accra Workers College where she obtained her GCE Advance Level certificate before later advancing to M.I Kaliun School where she obtained her Diploma degree.
Career in Politics
Her political journey began when she first contested as the Member of Parliament for Gomoa West Constituency in the 1992 general elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress.
She subsequently won the election and served as a Member of Parliament for the Gomoa West Constituency in the Central Region.
Ama Beyniwa Doe contested again and won on the ticket of the NDC during the 1996 elections against Joyce Aidoo of the New Patriotic Party.
Ama Benyiwa Doe polled 17,504 votes out of the 33,955 valid votes cast representing 35.60% against Joyce Aidoo who polled 10,866 votes.
In the 2000 general elections, she also won with 12,995 votes out of the 28,089 valid votes cast representing 46.30% against Benjamin Kojo Acquah, another NPP member who polled 11,248 votes.
Four years later after serving as a Member of Parliament from 1992 until 2004, Ama Benyiwa Doe tasted defeat by the New Patriotic Party’s Joe Kingsley Hackman.
Hackman emerged as the victor with a total vote cast of 23,663 representing 63.20% of the total valid votes as against Ama Benyiwa Doe whose total votes cast was 12,165 representing 32.50% for the Gomoa West Constituency.
The outspoken Ghanaian politician continued to work for the NDC as the National Women’s Organizer until she became the Central Regional Minister in 2009 to 2014 after she was nominated by the late president John Evans Atta Mills.
She also served as a former member of the Council of State for a period.
Although she strongly shared her opinions on key issues concerning the country, Ama Benyiwa Doe went into hibernation following the demise of the late president John Evans Atta Mills.
She was reported to have passed away on Sunday September 19, 2021, at Tema according to sources within the NDC.
Ama Benyiwa Doe was largely known for being an outspoken woman and a social justice advocate.
