Mahama Ayariga

Mahama Ayariga (born 12 May 1974) is a lawyer and politician in Ghana. He belongs to the National Democratic Congress. He was the Minister of Information and Media Relations and the Minister of Youth and Sports under the John Dramani Mahama administration. He is currently the Member of Parliament representing Bawku Central constituency of the Upper East Region of Ghana in the 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana. He is the current majority leader in the parliament of Ghana.

Early life and education Mahama Ayariga was born on 12 May 1974 in Bawku in the Upper East Region of Ghana. He was educated in Ghana and Nigeria and the United States of America. He attended the Barewa College in Zaria in Kaduna State, Nigeria. He holds a Master of Law (LLM) degree from the Harvard Law School in the United States of America and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) Degree from University of Ghana, Legon. He was the executive director of Legal Resource Centre in Accra.

Ayariga's older brother Hassan Ayariga was the presidential candidate of the People's National Convention (Ghana) for the 2012 General Elections in Ghana.

Career Ayariga is a lawyer by profession. He started his career as a teaching assistant in natural resources law and international law at the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana. He also co-founded and was the executive director of the Legal Resources Centre, an organization aimed at promoting human rights, community development and social justice.

Political career

Member of Parliament Ayariga was the member of Ghana's parliament for the Bawku Central constituency from 2005 but lost his seat in the 2008 Elections to Adamu Dramani Sakande of the NPP. The seat became vacant when Adamu was convicted and jailed by a court for having stood for the election while being the citizen of another country which is against the Ghana constitution. Ayariga recaptured the seat in the 2012 General Elections. He has been elected as the member of parliament for this constituency in the fourth, sixth and seventh parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana. Mahama Ayariga was nominated for appointment as Minister for Information by President John Dramani Mahama in January 2013. Mahama Ayariga serves on the Appointments Committee of the Parliament of Ghana.

Elections Ayariga was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bawku constituency of the Upper East Region of Ghana in the 2004 Ghanaian general elections. He won on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. The National Democratic Congress won a minority total of 94 parliamentary seats out of 230 seats. He was elected with 18,518 votes out of 38,108 total valid votes cast. He was elected with 24,071 votes out of 43,876 total valid votes cast. An AD-HOC committee set up by the speaker investigated and submitted its report to parliament on 29 March 2017. The report claims Mahama Ayariga could not substantiate his accusation against Mr. Agyarko and therefore should unconditionally render apology to the house. In 2019, there have been controversies about him facing a court trial as it is perceived he has done some wrong to be litigated in the High Court though there has been some resistance, the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye on 4 June 2019, ruled that, the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, be released to stand trial at the High Court (Financial Court) to begin the necessary proceedings against him. In June 2020, the Speaker of Parliament rejected Mahama Ayariga's challenging the Electoral Commission's decision to make the Ghana card and passports the sole valid identification for registering to vote in the 2020 elections.

Personal life Ayariga is married. His father, Frank Abdulai Ayariga, also served as member of parliament for the Bawku Constituency during the third republic administration of Hilla Limann.