Seth Terkper’s Wife Deborah Ferguson Dies Aged 63: “Sadness for My Family”
- Seth Terkper, the presidential advisor on the economy, has announced the death of his wife
- His wife, Deborah Ferguson Terkper, died in Fair Oaks, Virginia, US, after 35 years of marriage
- Terkper's family has requested privacy and prayers from the public as it mourns this death
Former Minister of Finance Seth Terkper has announced the passing of his wife, Deborah Ferguson Terkper.
Deborah Ferguson Terkper passed away at age 63 on July 7, 2025.
Source: Twitter
Terkper, the presidential advisor on the economy, shared details of her passing online.
His wife passed away in Fair Oaks, Virginia, US. They had been married for 35 years.
In Terkper’s post on the passing, it indicated that the family wanted privacy and prayers during its mourning period.
The former minister also indicated that this loss had contributed to his absence from the public space.
"Many of you joined in the successful launch of my 2nd Book on Value Added Tax [VAT] on June 6, 2025. However, in exactly one month, I lost my wife of 35 years on July 7, 2025."
"Today, I wish to dedicate my birthday to her memory. I am glad to have dedicated the book, foremost, to our family, of which she was both the pillar and its tower. RIP, our dear Debbie and Mummy."
About Seth Terkper
Seth Terkper was born in Somanya in the Eastern Region of Ghana, where he started his elementary school education in the Presby cluster of schools.
He obtained his first degree in Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.) from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Ghana.
He is also a Chartered Accountant who holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Kennedy School, Harvard University.
As a Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) from March 2009 to January 2013, Terkper worked mainly on the Budget and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) as well as on revenue policy and administration. The former minister later rose to become a minister under the 2013 Mahama administration.
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Between July 1999 and February 2009, Terkper held various positions (last as Senior Economist) in the Fiscal Affairs Dept. (FAD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He participated in, and led, several technical assistance (TA) missions to member-states to improve the organisation, process and legislation for revenue institutions.
Notable deaths in the NDC camp over the years
On January 17, 2024, Mark Owen Woyongo, a former Minister of Defence, Interior, and Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central, died at the age of 78.
He was appointed the Upper East Regional Minister by former President John Evans Atta Mills in 2009.
On October 2, 2023, the former Member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram, Enoch Teye Mensah, died at the age of 77.
Under various National Democratic Congress governments, he served as Minister for Youth and Sports, Minister for Employment and Social Welfare and Minister for Education.
Former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Sherry Ayittey, under the National Democratic Congress, passed away on July 22, 2023.
In her time in politics, Ayittey also served as the managing director of the Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation Distilleries.
In October 2024, Afrifa Yamoah Ponko, a former Chief Executive for Ejisu Municipality in the Ashanti Region, died.
Source: UGC
He joined frontline partisan politics before the 2008 elections, where he was one of the strong voices for the NDC and served in various capacities.
Ponko became the Municipal Chief Executive for Ejisu until the NDC lost the 2016 election.
Most recently, the Ashaiman Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Shaddad Umar Jallo, died on the afternoon of Saturday, June 14, 2025, in East Legon.
He was serving his second term as constituency chairman and was a member of the National Democratic Congress’s National Zongo Caucus Coordinating Team.
Akwatia MP Ernest Kumi passes on
YEN.com.gh reported that the Akwatia Member of Parliament, Ernest Kumi, died suddenly on July 5.
The NPP in the Eastern Region expressed its condolences on the passing of Akwatia MP Ernest Kumi.
In a statement issued by the Regional Communication Officer, Evans Osei Yeboah, the party said the late MP was a committed servant of the party and the public.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
