Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings reacts to rumours of Defence Minister appointment (video)

Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has reacted to rumours of her alleged appointment as Ghana’s next Defence Minister.

In a video shared on social media, Zanetor, who is heard being referred to as “incoming minister”, laughed off the comments, responding: “Guys, I don’t know about that.”

The rumours follow a cryptic message posted by the General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey. In a social media post on March 23, alongside a photo of himself and Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, he wrote: “Don’t rush your journey. What is meant for you will come together at the right time. Stay patient. Stay consistent. Have a great and peaceful week.”

The position of Defence Minister has remained vacant since August 2025, following the tragic death of Edward Kofi Omane Boamah on August 6, 2025. He died when a Harbin Z-9 helicopter belonging to the Ghana Air Force, carrying eight people, crashed into a forested mountainside at Sikaman in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (born 1 June 1978) is a Ghanaian medical doctor, politician, and activist, and the eldest daughter of former President Jerry Rawlings. She is a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle Constituency in Accra, having held the seat through the 7th, 8th, and 9th Parliaments of the Fourth Republic.

Before entering politics, she worked for a decade as a medical doctor, having trained at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She also holds a master’s degree in Conflict, Peace and Security from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.

In Parliament, she has served on committees including Gender, Defence and Interior, and Security and Intelligence. She has also been part of Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament of the African Union. She is known for her environmental activism, advocacy for female empowerment, and community outreach programmes targeting the elderly and underprivileged. She is a mother of three daughters.

Her defence credentials are extensive. She serves as Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Intelligence and as Deputy Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee.

Beyond her medical background, she holds additional certifications in Defence Management, Conflict and Crisis Management, Counter-Terrorism, and Counter-IED (Improvised Explosive Device).

As Chairperson of Parliament’s security committee, she has engaged with Ghana’s military leadership, reviewed defence budgets, examined national security policies, and contributed to oversight of internal security institutions.