Betty Nah-Akuyea Mould-Iddrisu simply Betty Mould-Iddrisu is a Ghanaian politician and lawyer who served as Minister for Education in Ghana from 2011 to 2012, after previously holding the position of Attorney General and Minister for Justice from 2009 to 2011. She is a member of the National Democratic Congress and was the first woman to lead the Attorney General’s Office in Ghana.
Prior to her political career, she worked as the Head of Legal and Constitutional Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. Mould-Iddrisu was also considered a potential candidate for Vice President of Ghana on the National Democratic Congress ticket.
Education
Betty Mould-Iddrisu received her early education at the Ghana International School. For her secondary education, she attended Achimota School and Accra Academy.
Betty Mould-Iddrisu later pursued her tertiary education at the University of Ghana, Legon, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in law (L.L.B) between 1973 and 1976. She went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Law from the prestigious London School of Economics in 1978.
Career
In 2003, Betty Mould-Iddrisu was appointed as the Director of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, which is an inter-governmental organization that is made up of 53 member states based in London. As the Director of the division, Mould-Iddrisu was responsible for managing a team of lawyers from diverse backgrounds and was in charge of the division’s budget and sourcing for extra-budgetary resources.
During her tenure at the Secretariat, she oversaw the implementation of mandates in the area of transnational crime, counter-terrorism, and international humanitarian law. Some of her notable achievements include overseeing the implementation of the Secretariat’s programs on anti-corruption, asset recovery, and judicial ethics. Mould-Iddrisu also implemented various legal programs through judicial reforms, legislative drafting, and building capacity in the legal field in the Commonwealth.
Mould-Iddrisu’s expertise in international law, constitutional law, and human rights has made her a sought-after advisor to heads of state, ministers, and politicians. She frequently gives high-level advice to governments and civil society organizations and organizes high-level ministerial and senior officials meetings. Additionally, she acted as the In-house Chief Legal Adviser to the Secretary-General and Secretariat and represented the Secretariat at tribunals and courts.
As an accomplished legal scholar, Mould-Iddrisu also taught at the law faculty of the University of Ghana between 1990 and 2000, while she was fulfilling her duties at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. During this time, she published various papers and articles on intellectual property.
In 2006, Mould-Iddrisu headed the Secretariat Team of the Electoral Observer Group to the Ugandan Elections, demonstrating her commitment to democracy and good governance. Her leadership and expertise have been instrumental in advancing the legal and constitutional affairs of the Commonwealth Secretariat and its member states.
Politics
Betty Mould-Iddrisu was appointed as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General in Ghana in February 2009, making her the first female to be appointed to that role in the country’s history. She was sworn in by President John Evans Atta Mills, who was the President of the Republic of Ghana at that time.
As the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mould-Iddrisu oversaw the country’s legal system and worked to promote justice and the rule of law in Ghana. She was responsible for leading the country’s legal team and advising the government on legal matters. During her tenure, she worked on various initiatives aimed at improving the justice system, including strengthening the capacity of the police, courts, and prisons.
Mould-Iddrisu’s appointment as the first female Minister of Justice and Attorney General in Ghana’s history was a significant milestone for gender equality in the country. Her leadership and dedication to promoting justice and the rule of law have paved the way for other women to aspire to leadership roles in the legal profession and in government.
