Widows who took over their husbands’ seats in Parliament

Hajia Amina Adam (L) hopes to emulate Lydia Seyram Alhassan (TR) and Ophelia Mensah Hayford (DR)

The March 3, 2026, Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election, necessitated by the death of the area’s Member of Parliament (MP), Naser Toure Mahama, is shaping up to be a keenly contested race.

Attention is particularly focused on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary ahead of the by-election, scheduled for February 9, 2026, as the eventual winner is widely expected to become the next MP for Ayawaso East.

Several reports indicate growing calls within the NDC for the widow of the late MP, Hajia Amina Adam, to take over her husband’s seat in Parliament.

Hajia Amina Adam has officially declared her intention to contest the party’s primary against Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Jamal.

A victory for Hajia Amina Adam would mean history repeating itself, with the widow of a deceased MP assuming her husband’s seat in the House. There are at least two notable instances in the Fourth Republic where widows rose to occupy the parliamentary seats of their late husbands.

This article examines those two cases and how their parliamentary records may shape public perception and influence the prospects of the widow of the late Ayawaso East MP.

Ayawaso East by-election: Calls grow within NDC for the late MP’s widow to contest

Lydia Seyram Alhassan

In 2019, Lydia Seyram Alhassan succeeded her late husband, Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko, as the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon after he passed away while in office.

Determined to continue her husband’s legacy, Lydia Alhassan contested the by-election held on January 31, 2019, and won.

She later sought re-election in the 2020 parliamentary elections and retained her seat after defeating strong opposition from actor-turned-politician John Dumelo.

Following her re-election, Lydia Alhassan was appointed Deputy Majority Chief Whip, joining the leadership of the Majority Caucus despite having spent only two years in Parliament at the time.

Her parliamentary performance later earned her a ministerial appointment. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo named her Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources during a cabinet reshuffle announced on February 14, 2024.

Ophelia Mensah Hayford

Similarly, Ophelia Mensah Hayford, a decorated police officer, left her career in the Ghana Police Service to replace her husband, Ekow Quansah Hayford, who was murdered by unknown assailants while serving as the MP for the Mfantseman Constituency.

Ophelia Hayford, then an Assistant Superintendent of Police, resigned from the Ghana Police Service to accept the nomination of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as its candidate for the 2020 Mfantseman by-election, in honour of her late husband.

She won both the by-election and the subsequent general parliamentary election held on December 7, 2020.

On February 14, 2024, President Akufo-Addo appointed her Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.

Performance of widows who became MPs

During their time in Parliament, both women were widely regarded as among the most effective female legislators, owing to the key roles they played in the House.

Lydia Seyram Alhassan served on the Health Committee, the Mines and Energy Committee, and the Business Committee of Parliament. She also held the position of Deputy Majority Chief Whip until her nomination as Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources.

Ophelia Hayford, who served in the Ghana Police Service for approximately 27 years, was a member of the Defence and Interior Committee as well as the House Committee of Parliament.

She earned praise from sections of the public for her incisive questioning during the parliamentary public hearing into a leaked tape allegedly detailing a plot to remove the Inspector-General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare.

Despite their strong parliamentary performances, which culminated in their elevation to cabinet positions, both women lost their bids to retain their parliamentary seats during the 2024 general election. Notably, these were seats their husbands had held for multiple terms.

Some observers cite this outcome as a cautionary tale and a key reason why the NDC should exercise restraint in selecting Hajia Amina Adam as its candidate for the upcoming Ayawaso East by-election.

BAI/MA

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