Grace Ayensu

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Grace Ayensu
Member of the Ghana Parliament
for Gomoa
In office
1965–1966
Preceded byNew
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Member of the Ghana Parliament
for First member for the Western Region
In office
1960–1965
Personal details
Born
Grace Ayensu

(1914-09-24)September 24, 1914
Gold Coast
DiedFebruary 11, 1975(1975-02-11) (aged 60)[1]
NationalityGhanaian
Political partyConvention People's Party

Grace Ayensu was a Ghanaian politician. She was a member of parliament representing the Western Region from 1960 to 1965 and the member of parliament for the Gomoa constituency from 1965 to 1966.[2][3][4][5]

Ayensu was among the first women to enter the parliament of Ghana in 1960 under the representation of the people (women members) act. She was among the 10 women who were elected unopposed on 27 June 1960 on the ticket Convention People's Party.[6][7]

Early life and education[edit]

Grace was born on 24 September 1914 at Elmina.[8] She was educated at St. Peter's School in Sekondi and the Elmina Convent in Elmina from 1921 to 1927.[9][10][11]

Career and politics[edit]

Ayensu left school and became a trader in 1928. She traded in textiles, provisions and hardware.[12] In addition to trading, she was involved the timber business from 1941 to 1958.[13]

Ayensu volunteered for several organizations including serving as first woman President for the Sekondi/Takoradi Consumers' Cooperative Society in 1945 and patron of the Sekondi/Takoradi branch of the National Youth League in the early 1950s.[11][14] In 1954 she was elected as a member of the Sekondi/Takoradi Municipal Council.[11][15] That same year, she received a certificate of honour and a badge from the Department of Social Welfare for her voluntary services in Sekondi/Takoradi Municipality. She served on the Sekondi/Takoradi Municipal Council until 1960.[16] While a member of the council, she was a member of the Women Delegation to Ceylon in 1958.[17] She was also the second Vice President of the National Federation of Ghana Women and the President of the federation for the Sekondi/Takoradi District.[17][18] She served on the Board of Governors of Sekondi College and Fijai Day Secondary School.[18] She also served on the Hospital and Prisons Visiting Committee.[18] On 27 June 1960 she was elected as a member of parliament as the first member for the Western Region.[19][20] In July 1965 she became the member of parliament for the Gomoa constituency.[21] In September that same year, she was appointed the chairperson of the State Bakery Corporation.[22] She remained in these positions until February 1966 when the Nkrumah government was overthrown.

Personal life[edit]

Grace Ayensu was married to an administrator who worked with the Ghana railways. She had ten children.[23] Her son Edward S. Ayensu is an international development advisor on science, technology and economic development.[24] Her hobbies were gardening and singing.[25]

She died on 11 February 1975.[8][26]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Nkrumah, I. K. (30 April 1975). Daily Graphic: Issue 7633 April 30 1975. Graphic Communications Group.
  2. ^ "Parliamentary Debates; Official Report, Part 1". Parliamentary Debates. Ghana National Assembly: 597. 1960.
  3. ^ "Parliamentary Debates; Official Report, Part 1". Parliamentary Debates. Ghana National Assembly: xvi. 1961.
  4. ^ "Ghana Year Book 1961". Ghana Year Book. Daily Graphic: 13. 1961.
  5. ^ "Parliamentary Debates; Official Report, Part 2". Parliamentary Debates. Ghana National Assembly: iii, 8 and 425. 1965.
  6. ^ "Ghana Today, Volumes 3–4". Google books. Information Section, Ghana Office: 10. 1959.
  7. ^ "Ghana Gazette". Google books. National government publication: 19. 1960.
  8. ^ a b Nkrumah, I. K. (11 February 1976). Daily Graphic: Issue 7876 February 11 1976. Graphic Communications Group.
  9. ^ "Ghana Year Book 1959". Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation: 155. 1959.
  10. ^ "Ghana Year Book 1959". Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation: 156. 1959.
  11. ^ a b c "Ghana Year Book 1959". Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation: 156. 1959.
  12. ^ Report of the Jiagge Commission Appointed Under the Commissions of Enquiry Act, 1964 (Act 250) and N.L.C. (Investigation and Forfeiture of Assets) Decree 1966 (N.L.C.D. 72) to Enquire Into the Assets of Specified Persons, Volume 2 (Report). Ministry if Information. 1969. p. 63.
  13. ^ Report of the Jiagge Commission Appointed Under the Commissions of Enquiry Act, 1964 (Act 250) and N.L.C. (Investigation and Forfeiture of Assets) Decree 1966 (N.L.C.D. 72) to Enquire Into the Assets of Specified Persons, Volume 2 (Report). Ministry if Information. 1969. p. 63.
  14. ^ Therson-Cofie, Martin (1 July 1952). "Pupils will now pay 5s. for exam". Daily Graphic. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  15. ^ Tadros, Mariz (8 May 2014). Women in Politics: Gender, Power and Development. Zed Books Ltd. ISBN 9781783600557.
  16. ^ Report of the Jiagge Commission Appointed Under the Commissions of Enquiry Act, 1964 (Act 250) and N.L.C. (Investigation and Forfeiture of Assets) Decree 1966 (N.L.C.D. 72) to Enquire Into the Assets of Specified Persons, Volume 2 (Report). Ministry if Information. 1969. p. 63.
  17. ^ a b "Ghana Year Book 1959". Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation: 156. 1959.
  18. ^ a b c "Ghana Year Book 1959". Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation: 156. 1959.
  19. ^ "Parliamentary Debates; Official Report, Part 1". Parliamentary Debates. Ghana National Assembly: 71. 1962.
  20. ^ "Parliamentary Debates; Official Report, Part 1". Parliamentary Debates. Ghana National Assembly: 84 and 891. 1963.
  21. ^ "West Africa Annual, Issue 8". West Africa Annual. James Clarke: 79. 1965.
  22. ^ Report of the Jiagge Commission Appointed Under the Commissions of Enquiry Act, 1964 (Act 250) and N.L.C. (Investigation and Forfeiture of Assets) Decree 1966 (N.L.C.D. 72) to Enquire Into the Assets of Specified Persons, Volume 2 (Report). Ministry if Information. 1969. p. 63.
  23. ^ Report of the Jiagge Commission Appointed Under the Commissions of Enquiry Act, 1964 (Act 250) and N.L.C. (Investigation and Forfeiture of Assets) Decree 1966 (N.L.C.D. 72) to Enquire Into the Assets of Specified Persons, Volume 2 (Report). Ministry if Information. 1969. p. 63.
  24. ^ Nichols, Lee (1982). Science in Africa: Interviews with Thirty African Scientists. Voice of America, Washington, D.C. p. 19.
  25. ^ "Ghana Year Book 1959". Ghana Year Book. Graphic Corporation: 156. 1959.
  26. ^ Nkrumah, I. K. (30 April 1975). Daily Graphic: Issue 7633 April 30 1975. Graphic Communications Group.
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