Awutu Senya East MP Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor has recounted the threats, alleged attacks and personal sacrifices she says marked her journey to Parliament, including wearing a bulletproof vest for eight months while breastfeeding her baby.
Speaking at the Women’s Leadership Breakfast hosted by Olori Ivie Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom in Nigeria, during the Elevate Africa gathering in Accra on October 27, 2026, Koryoo described the difficulties she faced during the 2020 and 2024 general election periods.
She said she had survived three alleged assassination attempts and endured public criticism and intimidation but remained determined to pursue her political ambitions.
“I was almost killed on three separate occasions. I lost but I didn’t give up. I was called names, I was called a failure, but I didn’t give up,” she recounted.
The MP said security concerns forced her to wear a bulletproof vest for eight months while breastfeeding, a period she described as physically demanding.
According to her, the prolonged use of the protective equipment caused significant discomfort, with severe back pain whenever she took it off.
“Wearing a bulletproof vest for eight months wasn’t easy. When you finish, your back is aching. It is not easy, so my sister, try again and push,” she said, urging women facing difficulties in their leadership journeys to persevere.
Koryoo also revisited her arrest shortly before the 2024 general elections over an alleged discrepancy in the documentation of a licensed firearm found in her vehicle.
She explained that the problem arose during the renewal of her firearm licence, when a police officer allegedly omitted one letter from her name, creating a mismatch between the licence and her identification documents.
“Before the election, I was mysteriously arrested. I was arrested because I had a licensed gun in my car. And what was my offence? My identity card had my name, Naa Koryoo but when it came to the renewal of my licensed gun, the police officer who renewed it omitted one ‘o’. So, apparently, there were two different personalities and I was arrested,” she said.
She claimed the incident attracted widespread attention and prompted the intervention of then-opposition leader John Dramani Mahama, who she said cancelled an important meeting to address the matter at a press conference.
“The whole of Ghana came to a standstill. The President of the Republic of Ghana had to cancel an important meeting to hold a press conference before I was released,” she recounted.
Koryoo said the days she spent in police custody were among the difficult experiences that tested her resolve to remain in politics.
She also described an alleged gunpoint attack during the 2024 election period, claiming the incident resulted in one death and left others with severe injuries that led to the amputation of their limbs.
“In 2024, I went, I contested and again, I was almost killed at gunpoint. Unfortunately, I lost one person and I have people whose legs and hands are amputated but Naa Koryoo is still sitting here alive,” she stated.
Reflecting on her experiences, the MP said she had refused to let threats, intimidation and personal hardship end her pursuit of political leadership.
She urged women aspiring to leadership positions to remain committed to their goals, arguing that setbacks should not automatically force them to abandon their ambitions.
Her account highlighted the personal and security challenges she says she faced while seeking public office, as well as her call for women to remain determined in the face of adversity.
Watch the video below:
