The Late Hawa Yakubu
A memorial service was held in Pusiga in the Upper East Region over the weekend to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of the industrious and illustrious Hawa Yakubu.
People from all walks of life paid tribute to Hawa Yakubu for her significant contributions to their development.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bawku Municipality and Ghana, in general, lost their daughter, Hawa Yakabu, popularly referred to as ‘Iron Lady’ 10 years ago.
On Monday, March 19, 2007, news broke about the demise of the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bawku Central in the Upper East Region.
Many hearts were broken, especially members of families that depended on her benevolence, as well as students and artisans.
Today, many people have become scholars and master craftmen and women in various fields in the Bawku Municipality and the North due to her generosity.
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP, who was a friend since 1979, Mohammed Murtala Ibrahim, said the late Hawa Yakubu became a role model for many young men and women in Bawku, especially when she was elected unopposed to the Constituent Assembly to help in the drafting of the 3rd Republican Constitution of Ghana.
“She was the youngest person to be so honoured, and the only woman who stood to be voted for, out of five women that represented the North. The four others were appointed to serve on the Constituent Assembly. Hawa Yakubu as far back as 1979 and as young as she was then was bold enough to contest for this position. Finally, she went unopposed.
In 2006, late Hawa Yakubu suggested that I contest the position of First Regional Vice Chairman during the Regional Executive elections. I contested and lost the elections to Tahiru Ahmed, today; I am the Regional Chairman of the NPP and Hawa is no more. She nurtured and developed politicians, businessmen and women and the likes,” the Regional Chairman said.
According to Chairman Murtala, the late Hawa, in her efforts to develop Bawku and its human resources, introduced many young women to soap making, hair dressing and dressmaking and gave many of them start-up capital.
“Hon Hawa Yakubu sent some of our young people to Europe and other parts of the world in her effort to help them develop themselves. Hawa was a very generous person who was not stingy in sharing her wealth and knowledge with people in the interest of progress,” he added.
In 1992 late Hawa Yabuku contested for the Bawku Central parliamentary seat and won as an independent candidate. She lost the seat to Fati Seidu of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 1996.
Hawa Yakubu in 2000 contested on the ticket of the NPP and won.
In 2004, Mahama Ayariga of NDC defeated her in the election.
Late Hawa Yakubu became the Minister of Tourism under the previous Kufuor administration and performed excellently.
Players in the tourism industry in the Upper East Region eulogize her for her massive support to the sector.
During her tenure, Panafest traced slave trade in Ghana from the Pikorow Slave Camp in Paga in the Upper East Region.
Today, no one remembers the Pikorow Slave Camp and others along the route to Assin-Mansoo and Cape Coast in the Central Region.
From Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Pusiga