Virginia Hesse

Virginia Hesse (born 1944) is a Ghanaian civil servant and diplomat who served as Ghana's ambassador to the Czech Republic from 2017 to 2021.[2][3] She spent a majority of her professional career in the Ghanaian public service.[4]

Virginia Hesse
Ambassador of Ghana to the Czech Republic
In office
2 August 2017 – 6 January 2021
PresidentNana Akuffo-Addo
Preceded byZita Okaikoi[1]
Succeeded byJames Komla Nyasembi
Personal details
Born1944 (age 78–79)
Ghana
RelationsLebrecht Wilhelm Fifi Hesse (brother)
Children1 daughter
Alma materUniversity of Ghana, Legon
Profession

Family life and education
Further information: Hesse family

A native of Osu, Accra, Virginia Hesse is a member of the notable Hesse family. Her brother, Lebrecht Wilhelm Fifi Hesse (1934 – 2000) was the first black African Rhodes Scholar, two-time Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and a member of the Public Services Commission of Ghana.[5][6][7][8][9][10] Her other brother, Christian Hesse served as Ghana's ambassador to the Soviet Union and later to Russia in the 1980s and 1990s. She is an alumna of the University of Ghana, Legon.[4]

Career

She worked at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Accra, as a commercial officer and at the ministry's diplomacy department.[4] She was Ghana's Deputy Trade Commissioner at the Court of St James's.[4] In the private sector, she also worked for a Swiss international firm as a project manager and later, for water supply and sewage treatment plants.[4] She was also the President of the Accra chapter of the women's empowerment global non-profit, Zonta International.[4]

Diplomatic career

She was sworn into office as the Ghanaian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, together with four other envoys, on 2 August 2017 by Nana Akufo-Addo, the president of Ghana.[11][12] She was also among 20 Ghanaian women ambassadors selected that year.[4] As ambassador, she had concurrent accreditation to North Macedonia, Romania and other Visegrád Group nations, Hungary and Slovakia.[4] She was also the Dean of the African Group of the Czech Republic.[4] She finished her four-year term in 2021.

Personal life

Virginia Hesse has one daughter, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo whose father is Nana Akufo-Addo.[13] Hesse is a lifelong Presbyterian and a member of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Osu.

References
  1. "Former Czech Ambassador Zita Sabah Okaikoi remarries". www.ghanapoliticsonline.com. 7 August 2017. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  2. "The Diplomatic Breakfast – Meeting with Her Excellency Virginia Hesse, Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana in Prague : Czech – Ghanaian Chamber of Commerce (CGCC)". www.ghanatrade.cz. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  3. "Staff – Ghana Embassy Prague". www.ghanaembassy.cz. Archived from the original on 1 September 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  4. "Interview with H.E. Virginia Hesse, Ambassador of Ghana". Czech & Slovak Leaders. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  5. Ghartey-Tagoe, David Kwesi (28 July 2010). David Ghartey-Tagoe: A Broadcast Icon. Xlibris Corporation. p. 126. ISBN 9781453542071.
  6. "West Africa, Issues 4238-4254". West Africa Publishing Company Limited. 2000: 18. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. "BM/E's world broadcast news". The Magazine of Broadcast Management/Engineering. Broadband Information Services. 9. 1986.
  8. Burial memorial and thanksgiving service for the late Mr. L.W. Fifi Hesse, aged 65, member, Public Services Commission, at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Osu, on Saturday, 18th November, 2000, at 10.00 A.M. : burial at Basel Mission Cemetery, Osu. Osu, Ghana: Legendesignhouse. 2000.
  9. Burial Memorial and Thanksgiving Service for the Late Mr. L.W. Fifi Hesse, Aged 65, Member, Public Services Commission, at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Osu, on Saturday, 18th November, 2000, at 10.00 A.M.: Burial at Basel Mission Cemetery, Osu. Legendesignhouse. 2000.
  10. R. I. P. Ghana (16 October 2020). "The late Lebrecht Wilhelm Fiifi Hesse (1934 - 2000)". R.I.P Ghana. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  11. "Prez Akufo-Addo swears in five new envoys". www.graphic.com.gh. 3 August 2017. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  12. "President Akufo-Addo swears in 4 Ambassadors, 1 High Commissioner". www.myjoyonline.com. 2 August 2017. Archived from the original on 8 December 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  13. "List of women Nana Akufo-Addo have married". GhanaPoliticsOnline.com. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2023.


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