LAWYER NANA OYE LITHUR – THE TRUSTED ASPIRANT TO RECAPTURE ADENTAN PARLIAMENTARY SEAT FOR NDC

“Where a woman rules, streams run uphill.” – Ethiopian Proverb
It is apparent that the world of politics has seen less women coming forth to take their rightful place in leadership positions.

But while this is so, it is true that the world has also seen women making great impacts in politics.

To name a few, the likes of Funmilayo Ransome Kuti of Nigeria, Winnie Mandela of South Africa and Margret Thatcher of Great Britain, all of blessed memory, have given to their societies the best of what leadership requires – especially in time of social crises. In Ghana, the virtuoso of women in politics has been seeded but you will find women like Nana Oye Lithur sprouting it.

Who is Nana Oye Lithur?
Nana Oye Lithur is a Ghanaian woman of humility, a woman of compassion, a woman of vision, a mother of four children and all other persons who associate with her – and a resident of Adentan since 2002.

She is a doyenne in the Ghanaian public service and a lawyer by profession for 27 years – called to the Ghana bar in the year 1992.

Nana Oye Lithur is a former Governing Member of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under President Jerry John Rawlings, a former Commissioner – National Media Commission and the Ghana AIDS Commission – Law Reform Commission under President John Evans Atta Mills and a former cabinet minister under President John Dramani Mahama as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection – and who was subsequently adjudged the best cabinet minister for the year 2015-2016.

As a former law student of the University of Ghana from 1985-1989, she was active in student politics in Volta Hall and she was the vice-president of the Law Students Union.

Motive to contest for the Adentan parliamentary seat
First of all, her decision to contest for the parliamentary primary is because of the Adentan constituency NDC together with the Adentan electorates, and the work it demands to recapture the seat for the Party in the 2020 general elections and to bring progress to the constituency.

The Adentan constituency, although it is a swing seat, is illustrious to the NDC. Thus, in the 2016 general elections, the parliamentary result was 32,588 votes representing 48.61% for the NDC Mohammed Adamu Ramadan and 33,952 votes representing 50.64% for the NPP Boaben Asamoah.

And since the creation of the constituency in 2008, anytime NDC wins the parliamentary seat, the NDC presidential candidate wins.

Therefore, the Party needs a parliamentary candidate like Nana Oye Lithur who has the strength, leverage, competency and experience to canvas the much needed floating votes to win the parliamentary seat – but not to latch on hopes of winning sympathy votes.

Contributions to NDC in the Adentan constituency
After having undertaken broader consultations with stakeholders of the Party, especially those in the constituency, she realized that there is the need for a new direction and a new drive to fight for the parliamentary seat.

In terms of her participation in the Party politics in the Adentan constituency, to begin with, she is a registered member of the Party in the constituency – of the Word Miracle Church branch.

Then, as a former minister of state, there are three cardinal things she did to support the Party in the constituency.

First, she implemented the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme under President John Dramani Mahama to 1,200 direct beneficiaries from the Adentan constituency constituting 289 households.

Secondly, during the NDC’s nationwide free National Health Insurance registration, she facilitated it for the Adentan constituency with 400-500 beneficiaries – especially the vulnerable and persons with disability.

Thirdly, under her Ministry, she implemented the Urban Elderly Welfare card for the Ghanaian elders which went member of the Party Adentan community.

With respect to her participation in Party activities and political campaign, in the 2016 general elections, she supported the then NDC parliamentary candidate, now opposition aspirant, Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, with money, T-shirts, foods and logistics.

Much more, she has been very active in her branch by supporting with infrastructural projects.

Why delegates should vote for Nana Oye Lithur
Nana Oye Lithur is a visionary, a servant leader who has the goal and strategic plan to move Adentan to her place of sustainable development.

She is bringing to the people of Adentan her value for achievements. That is to say, a person who was voted as the best human rights lawyer in Africa in 2007, and voted as one of the top 100 women global by the Danish government in 2008.

Hence, delegates of Adentan are not only electing Nana Oye Lithur for the constituency, but they are electing her as a voice for women and an asset for the NDC and the country both locally and globally.

And a prominent human rights lawyer as she is, being in parliament to espouse laws that bring about meaningful social development, she is unparalleled. So, with the great task of winning back the parliamentary seat for the NDC in the Adentan constituency, why choose a spoon when you have a bulldozer which has a great leverage for the work?

By: Michael Sumaila Nlasia