Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana, the Member of Parliament for Gushegu, has publicly urged President John Mahama to consider renaming the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, widely known as Ridge Hospital, in honour of the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. This proposal, made during an appearance on Prime Insight on October 25, aims to acknowledge her profound and lasting contributions to Ghana’s democratic progress and her instrumental role in women’s empowerment.

Mr. Tampuli emphasized that dedicating a significant national health institution like Ridge Hospital to her memory would serve as the most fitting tribute to the late First Lady. He stated, “I think that the best tribute the Ghanaian people can give—and I want to call on the President to consider—is to rename Ridge Hospital after Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, which is just next to her. It will serve as a living testimony of the hard work and commitment she gave to the sustenance of our democracy, especially the Fourth Republic.”

Describing Nana Konadu as “arguably the mother of the Fourth Republic,” Mr. Tampuli highlighted her unparalleled influence and leadership as First Lady during Ghana's critical transition to constitutional rule. He noted her continuous service immediately prior to and after the introduction of the Fourth Republican Constitution, asserting her as “the First Lady among First Ladies as far as the Fourth Republic is concerned.”

He further lauded her resilience and modesty throughout the tumultuous political era associated with the late former President Jerry John Rawlings. Mr. Tampuli recounted her strength in navigating personal and national crises, including her husband’s incarceration and multiple attempts to overthrow his regime, noting how she shouldered the responsibility of caring for her family amidst such trepidation. He also observed that her experiences and steadfastness contributed to the birth of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

However, Mr. Tampuli lamented what he termed the “sad reality of life”—that Nana Konadu later became estranged from the very party she was instrumental in building, remarking, “So Nana Konadu was the landlady, but eventually became a tenant. She couldn’t even get access to join the party or take part in any of the NDC’s activities.”

In addition to his call for renaming the hospital, Mr. Tampuli extended his condolences to the Rawlings family, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the entire Ghanaian nation, recognizing the loss as a national tragedy.

Finally, Mr. Tampuli advocated for significant recognition for Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the eldest daughter of the late First Lady, within the NDC and the broader national political landscape. He argued that given her family's sacrifices for the party’s inception and her own qualifications—including her education, experience, age, and current role as a Member of Parliament—she is eminently deserving of ministerial appointments, questioning why others new to the party receive appointments while those who faced the revolution's hardships are overlooked.