Vice President of Ghana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vice President of the Republic of Ghana
Incumbent Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang since 7 January 2025
Style	His/Her Excellency
Residence	Golden Jubilee House
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Joseph W.S. deGraft-Johnson Republic established Kow Nkensen Arkaah Current Constitution
Formation	Republic Day 1 July 1960 1992 Constitution 15 May 1992
Salary	unknown
Website	Presidency.gov.gh Ghana.gov.gh

The Vice President of Ghana is the second most important leader in the Government of Ghana. Think of them as the President's main helper! The Vice President works closely with the President of Ghana. Both are chosen by the people of Ghana through a vote. They serve for four years.

If something happens to the President, like if they resign or can no longer do their job, the Vice President steps in. They become the new President. The current Vice President is Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang. She started her role on January 7, 2025, working with President John Mahama. She is the first woman to ever be Vice President in Ghana's history.

Who Can Be Vice President?

To become the Vice President of Ghana, a person must meet certain rules. These rules are found in Ghana's 1992 Constitution.

Here are the main requirements:

• They must be a citizen of Ghana since birth.
• They must be at least 35 years old.
• They must also be able to be a Member of Parliament. There are a few special exceptions for this rule.

The President and Vice President run for election together. When someone wants to be President, they must choose their Vice President partner. This partner's name is given when they officially sign up for the election.

If a President dies, resigns, or cannot do their job, the Vice President automatically becomes President. They finish the rest of the original President's term. If the Vice President takes over when less than half of the term is left, they can run for President two more times. If they take over when more than half of the term is left, they can only run for one more full term.

This happened once in Ghana. John Mahama became President in July 2012. This was after President John Atta Mills passed away. John Mahama was then elected President in his own right in the election that December. He was allowed to run again in 2016. This was because he had only served six months of President Mills' term.

Taking the Oath of Office

Before starting their job, the Vice President of Ghana must take an important promise. This promise is called the "Oath of Office." The Chief Justice leads this ceremony. It happens in front of the people of Ghana at Independence Square in Accra.

The Vice President-elect says these words:

"I, (name), having been elected to the office of Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, do (in the name of the Almighty God swear) (solemnly affirm) that I will be faithful and true to the Republic of Ghana; that I will at all times preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of the people of the Republic of Ghana and to do right to all manner of persons.

I further (solemnly swear) (solemnly affirm) that should I at any time break this oath of office, I shall submit myself to the laws of the Republic of Ghana and suffer the penalty for it. (So help me God)."

What Does the Vice President Do?

The Vice President of Ghana has several important jobs:

• They lead meetings when the President is not there.
• They act as President when the President is out of the country.

The Vice President is also a member of important groups, including:

• The National Security Council
• The Armed Forces Council
• The Police Service Council
• The Prisons Service Council

Past Vice Presidents of Ghana

Here is a list of the Vice Presidents of Ghana since 1979:

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	President
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Joseph W.S. de Graft-Johnson (1933–1999)	24 September 1979	31 December 1981 (Deposed)	2 years, 98 days	People's National Party	Hilla Limann
2		Kow Nkensen Arkaah (1927–2001)	7 January 1993	7 January 1997	4 years	National Convention Party	Jerry Rawlings
3		John Atta Mills (1944–2012)	7 January 1997	7 January 2001	4 years	National Democratic Congress
4		Aliu Mahama (1946–2012)	7 January 2001	7 January 2009	8 years	New Patriotic Party	John Kufuor
5		John Mahama (born 1958)	7 January 2009	24 July 2012	3 years, 199 days	National Democratic Congress	John Atta Mills
6		Kwesi Amissah-Arthur (1951–2018)	6 August 2012	7 January 2017	4 years, 154 days	National Democratic Congress	John Mahama
7		Mahamudu Bawumia (born 1963)	7 January 2017	7 January 2025	8 years	New Patriotic Party	Nana Akufo-Addo
8		Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang (born 1951)	7 January 2025	Incumbent	170 days	National Democratic Congress	John Mahama

In Spanish: Vicepresidente de Ghana para niños