Former First Lady of Ghana, Mrs. Theresa Aba Kufuor, has passed away at the age of 87. She was the beloved wife of Ghana’s second President of the Fourth Republic, former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Mrs. Kufuor left us on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Born as Theresa Kufuor on October 25, 1935, she had a distinguished career as a retired nurse and midwife.
At the time of her passing, her husband, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, was by her side, having shared more than 60 years of marriage. In recent years, Mrs. Kufuor has been dealing with health challenges.
During her tenure as First Lady of Ghana, which spanned from 2001 to 2009, Mrs. Kufuor played a vital role in advocating for policy changes, notably in the Government’s white paper on Educational Reforms, championing the implementation of UNESCO’s Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) program for kindergarten children.
She was a devoted Roman Catholic and had a humble yet impactful presence in the political sphere. Her educational journey began at the Catholic Convent, OLA, in Keta, Volta Region, Ghana.
She continued her studies in the United Kingdom, where she trained as a Registered General Nurse in the Southern Hospital Group of Nursing in Edinburgh, Scotland. Further studies at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford and Paddington General Hospital in London led to her qualification as a State Certified Midwife with a Certificate in Premature Nursing.
Madam Theresa Kufuor’s life took a momentous turn when she married John Kufuor at the age of 23. Their love story began at a Republic Day Anniversary Dance in London in 1961, and they officially tied the knot in 1962.
Together, they raised five children: J. Addo Kufuor, Nana Ama Gyamfi, Saah Kufuor, Agyekum Kufuor, and Owusu Afriyie Kufuor. She leaves behind a legacy as a devoted mother of five and a cherished grandmother of eight.
In addition to her family life and her role as First Lady, Mrs. Kufuor also made a significant impact as the founder of the Mother and Child Community Development Foundation (MCCDF), a non-governmental organization operating in both Ghana and Canada.
The foundation’s focus on preventing mother-to-child transmission showcased her unwavering dedication to improving the lives of her fellow Ghanaians.
