First Lady celebrates 50th Birthday

Accra (Greater Accra), 17 Nov. 1998 - Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, President of the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), hosted hundreds of kids from the Movement's day care centres in Accra and signed the "Children's Treaty 2000" as part of activities to mark her 50th birthday anniversary today.

She also donated a 29-inch colour television set, teaching aids and games worth 2.7 million cedis to orphanages and needy institutions.

The Children's Treaty 2000, which urges politicians, professionals and individuals to re-affirm their support for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, was initiated by children and adolescents of the UNICEF-Children's Committee Dresden, Germany.

A statement issued by the committee, which creates greater awareness on the rights of the child, expressed dissatisfaction at the increase in armed conflicts and outcome of political conferences such as the that on land mines.

Friends of the First Lady, including Mrs Alberta Quartey, chairperson of the Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC) who attended the three-hour party at the Esi Sutherland Children's Park also signed the treaty.

The guests, served with soft drinks, pastries, fried chicken and sweets danced with the First Lady to music provided by the Ebenezer Methodist Junior Choir, Winneba and the Zuum band of Accra.

There were traditional dancing and recitals by some of the kids as well as congratulatory messages commending Nana Konadu ''for service to women and children and wishing her God's blessings in the coming years''.

Mrs Quartey and Mrs Cecilia Johnson, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, later helped the first lady to cut her beautifully designed birthday cake.