DID YOU KNOW: THE FIRST EVER GHANAIN FEMALE PILOT IN AFRICA?

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Melody Millicent Danquah is a Ghanaian, born on January 6, 1937 in Larteh Akuapem to Ghanaian parents – Ibinijah Rexford Addo-Danquah (a court registrar and an arbitrator in Larteh) and Selina Gyamfi.

 She made history in 1963 as the first female Ghanaian pilot in Africa. She was enrolled in the Ghana Air Force after reading an advert in the Newspaper during the tenure of Dr Kwame Nkrumah in 1963.

 She was recruited with two other ladies to be trained as Ghana’s female pilots. Danquah topped her class and as Flt. Cadet Danquah, she flew solo for the first time in a de Havilland Canada DHC-1 aircraft on June 22, 1964.

This made her the first Ghanaian - African woman ever to fly an aeroplane single handedly. Millicent won the admiration of many including the first President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah where she was the only student who was given a ten minutes solo flying time and ended her flight with a spotless landing in Takoradi.

In 1965, the Minister of Defense (Kofi Baako) presented her with wings as a qualified pilot. Duanquah ended her career in June 1968 due to ill health.

 She also had talent in acting while pursuing her secondary education at WESLEY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL- CAPE COAST.

 

Contributor: myshsrank Source: myshsrank.com | Isaac Koranteng