View source for Benita Sena Okity-Duah

{{short description|Ghanaian member of parliament for Ledzokuku constituency in the Greater Accra Region}}
{{Use Ghanaian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
[[File:Benita Okity Duah UNSessionNewYork 2013-07-17 002.jpg|thumb|300px|Benita Okity Duah at a UN session in New York in 2013]]
'''Benita Sena Okity-Duah''' (born 19 June 1976) is a [[Ghanaian]] fashion designer, politician and a former member of parliament for [[Ledzokuku (Ghana parliament constituency)|Ledzokuku constituency]] in the [[Greater Accra Region]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Member of Parliament |url=http://www.parliament.gh/parliamentarians/394 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208204838/http://www.parliament.gh/parliamentarians/394 |archive-date=8 December 2016 |accessdate=30 July 2016 |website= |publisher=Parliament of Ghana}}</ref>
==Early life and education==
She was born on 19 June 1976 in Anloga in the [[Volta Region]] of [[Ghana]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Vieta, Kojo T., 1962-|title=Know your MPs in the 6th Parliament : (2013-2017)|date=2013|publisher=Flagbearers Publishers|isbn=978-9988-1-8039-3|location=Accra|oclc=869428481}}</ref> She won the [[Miss Ghana|Miss Ghana pageant]] in 1997 at the age of 20 as a student.<ref>{{cite web |title=Photos: Miss Ghana 1997 Benita Sena Okity-Duah at 2013 Ghana Movie Awards! |url=http://ghanagist.com/photos-miss-ghana-1997-benita-sena-okity-duah-at-2013-ghana-movie-awards/ |accessdate=30 July 2016 |website= |publisher=Ghanagist.}}</ref>  She attended [[Achimota School]] in [[Accra]] for her secondary school education. She then went on to study fashion at the London School of Fashion for four years.<ref name="Celebrities">{{cite web |date=2012-12-14 |title=Benita Sena Okity-Duah Goes To Parliament…First Ever Miss Ghana Beauty Queen To Enter Parliament |url=http://www.ghanacelebrities.com/2012/12/14/benita-sena-okity-duah-goes-to-parliament-first-ever-miss-ghana-beauty-queen-to-enter-parliament/ |accessdate=30 July 2016 |website= |publisher=Ghana Celebrities}}</ref>
==Career==
She returned to Ghana in 2003 and has since carved a niche for herself in the Ghanaian fashion industry. She is the founder and CEO of LadyBird Fashions in Accra, Ghana.  <ref>{{Cite book|last=Vieta, Kojo T., 1962-|title=Know your MPs in the 6th Parliament : (2013-2017)|date=2013|publisher=Flagbearers Publishers|isbn=978-9988-1-8039-3|location=Accra|oclc=869428481}}</ref>
== Politics ==
Benita resigned as the Women's Organizer of the [[National Democratic Congress (Ghana)|National Democratic Congress]] of the [[Ledzokuku|Ledzokuku Constituency]] in the [[Greater Accra Region]]. She contested for the party primaries and defeated the then-incumbent member of parliament Nii Nortey Dua to represent the National Democratic Congress in the constituency. She won the election in 2012 to represent the people of Ledzokuku in the parliament of Ghana. She became the first ever Miss Ghana beauty queen to be elected as a member of parliament in [[Ghana]].<ref name="Celebrities" /> Additionally, she served as a Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection of Ghana from April 2013 to June 2014.<ref>{{cite web |date=29 April 2013 |title=Parliament approves nomination of 35 deputy ministers-designate |url=http://politics.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201304/105205.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827211546/http://politics.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201304/105205.php |archive-date=27 August 2016 |accessdate=16 August 2016 |website= |publisher=Multimedia Group}}</ref> She was also the Deputy Minister of Fishery and Aquaculture of the Republic of Ghana.<ref>
{{cite web |date=2 June 2014 |title=Ministerial reshuffle: Nii Lantey Vanderpuye out? |url=http://www.m.myjoyonline.com/marticles/news/ministerial-reshuffle-nii-lantey-vanderpuye-out |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822133007/http://www.m.myjoyonline.com/marticles/news/ministerial-reshuffle-nii-lantey-vanderpuye-out |archive-date=2016-08-22 |accessdate=16 August 2016 |website= |publisher=Multimedia Group}}
</ref> Benita lost her seat to Bernard Okoe-Boye who stood on the ticket of the [[New Patriotic Party]] in the 2016 Parliamentary election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-09 |title=Miss Ghana Loses Ledzokuku Seat - Daily Guide Africa |url=http://dailyguideafrica.com/miss-ghana-loses-ledzokuku-seat/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225211146/http://dailyguideafrica.com/miss-ghana-loses-ledzokuku-seat/ |archive-date=25 February 2017 |access-date=2017-02-25 |website=DailyGuideAfrica. |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
Benita is married to Steve Okity-Duah. Born Benita Golomeke, she was crowned Embassy pleasure Ms Ghana 1997. She is a Christian and a member of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ghana MPs - MP Details - Okity-Dua, Sena Benita |url=http://ghanamps.com/mps/details.php?id=2734 |access-date=2020-01-25 |website=GhanaMps.}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okity-Duah, Benita Sena}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of Achimota School]]
[[Category:National Democratic Congress (Ghana) politicians]]
[[Category:Ghanaian MPs 2013–2017]]
[[Category:Women members of the Parliament of Ghana]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Ghana]]
[[Category:Women government ministers of Ghana]]
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:21st-century Ghanaian women politicians]]