Celebrating Farouk Aliu Mahama @ 42: Uplifting the legacy of his illustrious father
When great men leave indelible footprints in the sand, it can be a daunting task for their children to follow in their footsteps, let alone surpass their exceptional achievements. This is often because the first generation sets the bar so high that it becomes difficult to replicate.
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Such is the case with the Alius - the late Vice President of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, and his son, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama, the Honorable Member of Parliament for Yendi. However, unlike many situations where sons of legends struggle to emulate their parents, young Farouk Aliu Mahama is making his father proud by achieving so much.
At 42 years old today (April 27, 2022), Farouk Aliu Mahama has already made remarkable strides in his academic and political journey, projecting the legacy of his respected father and positively impacting the lives of his people in the North and beyond. Despite losing his influential father at the age of 29, circumstances and many factors could have led him astray. However, he remained focused, persevered, and became a well-qualified academic, a smart politician, and a philanthropist, as his impressive profile below shows.
Professional life
Farouk Aliu Mahama in his professional life is a Certified International Supply Chain Professional and has used his knowledge in this field to render invaluable service to Ghana at Ghana Cocoa Board.
He rose through the ranks at the Ghana Cocoa Board to become Procurement Manager now a Member of Parliament for Yendi and Board Chairman for Ghana Integrated Iron And Steeel Development Corporation(GIISDEC).
Early Life and Family Background
Hon. Umar Farouk Aliu Mahama was born on 27th April 1981 to a prominent political family of H.E Alhaji Aliu Mahama and H.E Hajia Ramatu Mahama, the late former Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana between 2001-2009
His father - a respected Northern politician and businessman, made history as Ghana's first Muslim Vice-President.
His paternal grandfather, Zongo Naa Mahama, was the Zongo Chief of Yendi, the traditional capital of Dagbon, and his maternal grandfather, Alhaji Imoro Egala, was Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister in the First Republic(1960-1961) and later, Education Minister and then Trade and Industries Minister under the government of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. He was also the first black chairman of the Ghana Cocoa Board and the founder of the People's National Party, the mother party of the People's National Convention(PNC).
Education
Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama started his basic education at Presby Experimental School in Tamale and was later enrolled in the Achimota schools. He proceeded to Prempeh College in Kumasi to undertake his secondary education and later to Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.
Farouk Aliu Mahama holds a Master's degree in Supply Chain Management from Coventry University in England, the United Kingdom and is a Certified International Supply Chain Professional from International Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Institute-USA.
Academic accolades and credentials
Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama has many academic honours to his credit, recognizing his professional performance. Some are:
• Candidate, PhD, Supply Chain Management, Azteca University, Chalco-Mexico
•Cambridge University (Institute of Sustainability Leadership)- High Impact Leadership
• Scottish Qualification Authority in procurement integrity from the Scottish Qualification Authority
• Honors in contract management from Ghana Suppliers Commission
• Harvard Kennedy School- Emerging Leaders
• Certified International Supply Chain Manager-IPSCMI-USA
• Chartered Procurement Member-MCIPS, UK.
• Honors in Procurement of goods and services from World Bank
• World Bank E-Procurement and Implementation from Government of Ghana.
• New procurement Framework by World Bank
• Institute of Supply Chain Management
• Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration- Bachelor of Science in Marketing
• Coventry University, United Kingdom-Master of Science in Procurement and Supply Chain Management
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• Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)-Corporate Award
Other Honours
Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama is an active serving member of the Aliu Mahama Foundation Board. He is also the first young politician from Northern Ghana to have addressed students of the prestigious Oxford University upon receiving an invitation to the Oxford University Africa Conference in 2019.
*He received a special invitation to the Westminster Parliament(British Parliament) to speak on the occasion of Black History Month. He has, among others, also been part of the these conferences
• African Peace Conference held by PAAMA UK, London.
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• Speaker at Oxford African Conference, Oxford University
• Speaker at British Parliament to mark black history month.
• Northern Ghana Investment Conference, a Business durbar held in Tamale.
Awards
• Most Promising Politician, Northern Excellence Awards, 2020
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• Rising Star of the year – Northern Business Excellence Awards, 2020
• LEADS AFRICA Patriotic Personality and Philantropist Award, 2021
• Development Politician Of the Year, 2021, Northern Excellence Awards
• Male Personality of the Year, Spotlight Creative Arts and Business Awards, 2022.
• Top 30 Coventry University Achievers, UK. 2022
Personal Life
Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama has three (3) sons, Maltiti Aliu Mahama Jr, Nurudeen Mahama and Abdul Nasir with his wife Ayisha Mahama. As a native of Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama speaks fluent Dagbani, Hausa, Twi and Ga. He has openly professed hobbies in football and philanthropy.
Farouk as MP
As part of his revolutionary leadership, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama established a Non-Government Organization, Partnership for Poverty Reduction to focus on social interventions in areas of agriculture to boost local economies, health, women and youth empowerment etc.
As the Member for Parliament for the Yendi Constituency, Farouk Aliu Mahama, hopes to leverage his position to uplift the people of Yendi. He is undertaking numerous interventions that seek to transform and touch the lives of the good people of Yendi.
He has arrow-headed a major change in the politics of Yendi by transiting Yendi politics to one of real transformation. In the Parliament House, he is currently serving as Chairman of the Parliamentary Muslim Caucus and a member of the following select Committees:
1. Gender and Children Committee- Chairman
2.. Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affiars Committee-member
Professional Membership
• Chattered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS-UK)Member
• Institute of supply Chain ManagementMember
• Certified International Supply Chain Professional Member
• Certified International Supply Chain ManagerMember
• International Purchasing and Supply Chain Mgt. Institute (IPSCMI, VIP)Member
Political Credentials
• Member of 2020 Northern Regional Campaign Council
• Finance Committee Chairman, NPP Northern Regional Youth Wing
• Member, Finance Committee, 2022 NPP National Delegates Conference
• Patron, NPP Germany Branch
• Patron, Greater Accra Regional TESCON
Without a doubt, Farouk Aliu Umar Mahama is making his dad proud, and upholding his legacy.
His dad, H.E. Alhaji Aliu, and his mum, H.E. Hajia Ramatu, would be proud of their son, Farouk if they were alive. Surely, they are proud of him where they are, just as many are.
At 42, Farouk has achieved so much, but he can do more.
Happy birthday Honourable.