Mark Woyongo

Mark Owen Woyongo (9 June 1946 – 17 January 2024) was a Ghanaian politician who served as the Ghanaian Minister for the Interior for the Ghanaian Ministry of the Interior. He was also the Member of Parliament for the Navrongo Central constituency in Ghana.

Woyongo first stood for election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress in the 2008 Ghanaian parliamentary election, winning 41.7% of the votes and losing to Joseph Kofi Adda of the New Patriotic Party by 1,130 votes (3.5%). He was however appointed the Upper East Regional Minister by President Mills in his government in 2009. He was retained in this position by President Mahama following the death of Mills. In 2013, he was nominated by President Mahama for the position of Minister for Defence.

Early life and education Woyongo was born on 9 June 1946 in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana. He attended Notre Dame Secondary School in Navrongo in 1966. He completed a Diploma in Journalism from Ghana Institute of Journalism in 1971. He undertook professional courses in Ghana and abroad.

Political career Mark Owen Woyongo was the Public Relations Officer for the Upper East Regional Administration from 1978 and 1985. He was appointed the Regional Information Officer, Upper East Region in 1985. In 1994, he was appointed the Minister Counselor for Information at the Ghana High Commission in London, United Kingdom. Mark Woyongo was the Minister for the Upper East Region from 2009 to 2012. He survived a fatal accident when returning from the NDC congress held in the Upper East region.

Woyongo won the 2012 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). In 2013, he was appointed Defence Minister and subsequently to the Ministry of the Interior during his tenure as Upper East Regional Minister.

Personal life and death Mark Woyongo was married and had two children. He died on 17 January 2024, at the age of 77.