The University of Cape Coast (UCC) will on Friday, March 13, 2026, confer a Distinguished Fellow Award on the Vice President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, in recognition of her dedicated service to the university and her impactful role in national governance.
According to the university, the honour also acknowledges her historic election as Ghana’s first female Vice President, describing it as a transformational milestone in the country’s democratic evolution and gender representation.
In a statement dated February 27, 2026, and signed by the Acting Director of the Directorate of Public Affairs, Kwabena Antwi-Konadu, UCC stated that the award celebrates her distinguished contributions both to the institution and to society at large.
“The Award is in recognition of Her Excellency’s distinguished services to the University of Cape Coast as an illustrious alumna and Fellow, as well as her commitment to society, women and children, academia, governance, democracy, leadership, and national and global development,” the statement noted.
The university further emphasized that it recognises her historic achievement as the first female Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, marking what it described as a significant turning point in the nation’s democratic and gender inclusion journey.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, an alumna of UCC, previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the university from 2008 to 2012, becoming the first woman to head a public university in Ghana.
The statement also highlighted her tenure as Ghana’s Minister for Education from 2013 to 2017, during which she spearheaded efforts to strengthen basic and secondary education, enhance teacher development programmes, and broaden access to education in underserved communities.
Additionally, it noted her service as Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa in Zimbabwe from 2018 to 2024, describing her leadership as a sustained commitment to advancing women’s access to higher education across the African continent.
Below is the full statement
