Thanks for the good and the not too good times - Mahama celebrates Lordina on 60th birthday

Former president John Dramani Mahama has showered praise and gratitude on his spouse, Lordina Dramani Mahama on the occasion of her 60th birthday.

In a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb, Mr Mahama expressed appreciation to his wife for her support over the period of their union describing the former first lady as his rock.

“Lordina, my partner on this life's journey. Thanks for the good times and the not too good times. You've stayed by my side through thick and thin. We have braved the stormy seas together. You've been my rock.

“It’s your great day today and I celebrate you. Age is just a number. Enjoy your birthday and live many more years in good health.

“Lordina my wife, my love and my friend! Wishing you a happy 60th birthday,” the former President wrote.



Profile of Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama

Lordina Mahama was a former Second Lady of Ghana from 2009 to 2012 and then became First Lady of Ghana from 2012 to 2017. She is the wife of the former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, the fourth president of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.

She was born and raised in Nkoranza, Brong-Ahafo Region.

Lordina is married to John Dramani Mahama and together they have five children: Shafik, Shahid, Sharaf, Jesse, and Farida.

She speaks English, Hausa, Dagbani, and Twi fluently.

Education

She attended the Anglican elementary school and then proceeded to the Ghana Secondary School in Tamale, where she met her husband John Dramani Mahama.

She has a degree in Hospitality Management and a Masters in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.

She also acquired a Master of Laws (LLM) in Business Law/International Business Law from the De Montfort University in the United Kingdom in 2019.

Career and roles played

She served as Second Lady till July 2012, when she became First Lady of Ghana.

As First Lady she worked as an HIV/AIDS advocate, breast and cervical cancer advocate, and an advocate for orphans and alleged witches. She worked with the Ghana AIDS Commission and other agencies to bring integrated HIV and AIDS, Sexual Reproductive health, Breast, and Cervical cancer services to Ghana.

Lordina set up Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) to empower women as well as represent Ghana at forums to discuss issues relating to women and children.

She was the vice president for the West Africa Region of OAFLA in June 2015 and was elected President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA).

Due to Lordina Mahama's outstanding work, she was honored at the 50th International Women Luncheon of the Rainbow Push Coalition which took place in Chicago (USA).

She ensured, during her tenure that girls were immunized by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance against HPV to prevent cervical cancer and other diseases.

She represented Ghana at the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th Stop Cervical, Breast, and Prostate Cancer Conference.

Lordina adopted 6 orphanages and one witch camp as focus facilities for her donations while still contributing to other orphanages.

She also led initiatives to provide food, housekeeping items, clothes, and other basic necessities to orphanages and witch camps in Ghana.

The orphanages and witch camps were made up of two in the Greater Accra Region; the Osu Children's Home in Osu and the Christ Faith Forster home in Frafraha.

Two in the Brong Ahafo Region; FrankMay Children's Home and Bethesda Children’s Home both in Techiman

Two in the Northern Region; the Tamale Children’s Home and Anfaani Children’s Home both in Tamale

The Gambaga Witch Camp is located in the North-East Region where she began a training project to provide vocational training and other entrepreneurial skills to serve women and girls within the camp. She also set up a hostel facility for students in and around Gambaga who would want to train at the center.

She visited the Gambaga Witch Camp in 2014 and she also visited Nyohini Children's Home and the Anfaani Orphanage in Tamale, where she interacted with the children and made donations.

In December 2016, with Nana Oye Lithur, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection inaugurated an accommodation complex for toddlers financed by her foundation at the Osu Children's Home.

She also made several donations of start-up kits to artisans who had completed and graduated from vocational training centers to facilitate their business and help them establish their own enterprises and businesses, these included donations in support with the Chinese Embassy in Ghana through their Ambassador Sun Baohong.

She has a foundation, the Lordina Foundation which has touched the lives of many and makes donations during festivities. The motto of the Foundation is "The more we share, the more we have".

Honours and recognition

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, by the President and Trustees of the Fordham University.

An award for the campaign for cervical cancer, Maputo, Mozambique.

Award for cervical cancer advocacy, Windhoek, Namibia.

Inducted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame.

Global Inspiration Leadership Award at the Africa-Middle East-Asia summit in Dubai.

Enstooled as Sompahemaa of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, with a stool title (Nana Akosua Fremaa Ampomah Sika I).

Enstooled as Development Queen in Bodom in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana.

Enstooled as Development Queen in Anloga in Kumasi, Ashanti region of Ghana.