Mahama Ayariga

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Mahama Ayariga

| education = University of Ghana
Harvard Law School

| successor4 =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|05|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bawku, Ghana

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = National Democratic Congress

| spouse =

| children =

| relations = Frank Abdulai Ayariga (father)
Hassan Ayariga (brother)

| website =

| term_end4 = 7 January 2013

| signature =

| office5 = Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry

| committees = Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Environment, Science and Technology Committee, Appointments Committee

| honorific-prefix = Hon.

| term_start5 = 2010

| term_end5 = 2011

| president =

| president4 = John Evans Atta Mills
John Dramani Mahama

| president5 = John Evans Atta Mills

| president1 = John Dramani Mahama

| predecessor4 =

| term_start4 = 16 February 2011

| image = Mahama Ayariga.jpg

| office2 = Minister for Youth and Sports

| office = Member of Parliament
for Bawku

| term_start = 7 January 2013

| term_end =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| office1 = Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation

| term_start1 = 16 March 2015

| term_end1 = 7 January 2017

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 = Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng

| president2 = John Dramani Mahama

| office4 = Deputy Minister of Education

| term_start2 = 16 July 2014

| term_end2 = 14 March 2015

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 = Mustapha Ahmed

| office3 = Minister for Information

| president3 = John Dramani Mahama

| term_start3 = 30 January 2013

| term_end3 = 16 July 2014

| predecessor3 =

| successor3 = (merged with Minister for Communications from 16 July 2014) Edward Omane Boamah

| profession = Lawyer

| office6 = Member of Parliament
for Bawku

| term_start6 = 7 January 2005

| term_end6 = 6 January 2009

| president6 =

| nationality = {{flagicon|GHA}} Ghanaian

}}

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 [https://www.parliament.gh/members?mp=94143 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana.]{{Cite web |title=Parliament of Ghana |url=https://www.parliament.gh/mps?mp=73 |access-date=2020-08-03 |website=parliament of ghana}}{{Cite web|date=2020-05-23|title=We're ready to debate Minority on their call for rejection of C.I 126 - Majority Leader|url=https://citinewsroom.com/2020/05/were-ready-to-debate-minority-on-their-call-for-rejection-of-c-i-126-majority-leader/|access-date=2020-05-26|website=Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana|language=en-US}} He is the current majority leader in the parliament of Ghana.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-23 |title=Mahama Ayariga appointed Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in the 9th Parliament |url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/mahama-ayariga-is-majority-leader-and-leader-of-government-business-in-the-9th-parliament.html |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=Graphic Online |language=en-gb}}

Early life and education

Mahama Ayariga was born on 12 May 1974 in Bawku in the Upper East Region of Ghana.{{Cite web |title=Mahama Ayariga, Biography |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/person/Mahama-Ayariga-3010 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ghanaweb}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Minister Mahama Ayariga|url=https://archive.globallandscapesforum.org/glf-2015/speaker/minister-mahama-ayariga/|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Global Landscapes Forum Paris 5-6 Dec|language=en-US}} He was the executive director of Legal Resource Centre in Accra.{{Cite web|date=2016-04-24|title=Ghana MPs - MP Details - Ayariga, Mahama|url=http://ghanamps.gov.gh/mps/details.php?id=2586|access-date=2020-08-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424202652/http://ghanamps.gov.gh/mps/details.php?id=2586|archive-date=24 April 2016}}

Ayariga's older brother Ayariga Hassan was the presidential candidate of the People's National Convention (Ghana) for the 2012 General Elections in Ghana.{{cite web |url=http://www.citifmonline.com/index.php?id=1.362333 |title=PNC Presidential Aspirant Jabs Dr. Edward Mahama |last=Naatogmah |first=Abdul Karim |publisher=CitiFM Online |date=2011-04-19}}

Career

Ayariga is a lawyer by profession.{{Cite book|title=Ghana Parliamentary Register, 2004-2008|publisher=The Office of Parliament|year=2004|location=Ghana|pages=203}} 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.{{cite web|title=Education Stakeholders Meeting Speaker Biographies|url=http://www.idpfoundation.org/stakeholdersbios.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105180025/http://www.idpfoundation.org/stakeholdersbios.html|archive-date=2013-11-05|access-date=2013-01-14|publisher=IDP Foundation}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.infoghana.info/news/updated-bawku-central-mp-adamu-sakande-convicted-jailed-two-years |title=Bawku Central MP Adamu Sakande convicted; jailed two years |date=2012-07-27 |publisher=InfoGhana |access-date=2013-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105175533/http://www.infoghana.info/news/updated-bawku-central-mp-adamu-sakande-convicted-jailed-two-years |archive-date=2013-11-05 |url-status=dead }} Ayariga recaptured the seat in the 2012 General Elections.{{cite web |url=http://tv3network.com/Election-2012-Live-Update/805am-ayariga-wins-bawku-central-constituency.html |title=Ayariga wins Bawku Central Constituency |publisher=TV3 Ghana |access-date=2013-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211114837/http://tv3network.com/Election-2012-Live-Update/805am-ayariga-wins-bawku-central-constituency.html |archive-date=2012-12-11 |url-status=dead }} 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.

= Minister of state =

In 2009, when Prof John Evans Atta Mills won the elections, Ayariga became the Presidential Spokesman before he was subsequently appointed Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. He was subsequently appointed Deputy Minister of Education.{{Cite web|last=Dogbevi|first=Emmanuel|date=2011-02-16|title=President Mills reshuffles Deputy Ministers|url=https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2011/02/16/president-mills-reshuffles-deputy-ministers/|access-date=2020-10-15|website=Ghana Business News|language=en-US}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.293485 |title=President Mills reshuffles Deputy Ministers, appoints new DCEs |date=2011-02-16 |publisher=Ghana Broadcasting Corporation}} Mahama Ayariga was nominated for appointment as Minister for Information by President John Dramani Mahama in January 2013.{{cite web |url=http://politics.pravdaradioonline.com/president-mahama-appoints-first-batch-of-ministers/ |title=President Mahama appoints first batch of Ministers |date=2013-01-11 |publisher=Pravda Radio |access-date=2013-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208065659/http://politics.pravdaradioonline.com/president-mahama-appoints-first-batch-of-ministers/ |archive-date=2013-02-08 |url-status=dead }} Mahama Ayariga serves on the Appointments Committee of the Parliament of Ghana.{{cite news|last1=Appointment|first1=Committee|title=Speaker announces Vetting Committee|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Speaker-announces-Vetting-Committee-500224|access-date=31 March 2017|publisher=GhanaWeb}}

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.{{Cite book|title=Elections 2004; Ghana's Parliamentary and Presidential Elections|publisher=Electoral Commission of Ghana; Friedrich Ebert Stiftung|year=2005|location=Accra|pages=183}}{{Cite web|last=FM|first=Peace|title=Ghana Election 2004 Results - Bawku Central Constituency|url=http://ghanaelections.peacefmonline.com/pages/2004/uppereast/164/index.php|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Ghana Elections - Peace FM}} He won on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. His constituency was a part of the 9 parliamentary seats out of 13 seats won by the National Democratic Congress in that election for the Upper East Region.{{Cite web|date=2016-08-10|title=Statistics of Presidential and Parliamentary Election Results|url=https://www.fact-checkghana.com/statistics-presidential-parliamentary-election-results/|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Fact Check Ghana|language=en-US}} The National Democratic Congress won a minority total of 94 parliamentary seats out of 230 seats.{{Cite web|last=FM|first=Peace|title=Ghana Election 2004 Results - President|url=http://ghanaelections.peacefmonline.com/pages/2004/president/index.php|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Ghana Elections - Peace FM}} He was elected with 18,518 votes out of 38,108 total valid votes cast. This was equivalent to 48.6% of total valid votes cast. He was elected over Amidu Mamudu Sisala of the Peoples’ National Convention, Hawa Yakubu of the New Patriotic Party, Yussif Taiban Kundima of the Convention People's Party, Sadat Amadu and Abubakar Jibreel Ustarz both independent candidates. These obtained 333, 10,169, 353, 161 and 8,574 votes respectively of total votes cast. These were equivalent to 0.9%, 26.7%, 0.9%, 0.4% and 22.5% respectively of total valid votes cast.

In 2012, he was elected as the member of parliament for the same constituency. He won on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress.{{Cite web|last=FM|first=Peace|title=Ghana Election 2012 Results - Bawku Central Constituency|url=http://ghanaelections.peacefmonline.com/pages/2012/uppereast/164/index.php|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Ghana Elections - Peace FM}}{{Cite book|title=Elections 2012|publisher=Friedrich Ebert Stiftung|year=2012|location=Ghana|pages=200}} He was elected with 24,071 votes out of 43,876 total valid votes cast.{{Cite web|last=FM|first=Peace|title=Ghana Election 2012 Results - Bawku Central Constituency|url=http://ghanaelections.peacefmonline.com/pages/2012/uppereast/164/index.php|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Ghana Elections - Peace FM}} This was equivalent to 54.86% of total valid votes cast. He was elected over Awuni Aguuda Joseph of the Peoples’ National Convention, Alhassan Haruna of the New Patriotic Party, Iddrisu Mubarak of the Progressive People's Party and Ibrahim Zaliya of the Convention People's Party. These obtained 303, 19,082, 269 and 151 votes respectively of total votes cast. These were equivalent to 0.69%, 43.49%, 0.61% and 0.34% respectively of total valid votes cast.

=Controversy=

He accused Hon. Boakye Agyarko, a nominee for the Energy Ministry of paying the minority caucus on the committee bribes for his approval.{{cite news|last1=Newsfilla|title=THIS MAHAMA AYARIGA ADDRESSED THE MEDIA MAHAMA AYARIGA, MP FOR BAWKU CENTRAL|publisher=newsfilla.com|agency=Newsfilla|url=http://newsfilla.com/index.php/2017/01/28/mahama-ayariga-addressed-media-mahama-ayariga-mp-bawku-central/|access-date=31 March 2017}} An AD-HOC committee set up by the speaker investigated and submitted its report to parliament on March 29, 2017. The report claims Mahama Ayariga could not substantiate his accusation against Mr. Agyarko and therefore should unconditionally render apology to the house.{{cite news|last1=Daily|first1=Graphic|title=How the Graphic Reported|publisher=newsfilla.com|agency=Graphic Co-operation Ghana|url=http://newsfilla.com/index.php/2017/03/31/how-graphic-reported-the-brawl-in-parliament/|access-date=31 March 2017}}{{cite web |last1=FM |first1=Adom |title=Mahama Ayariga renders 'unrepentant apology' to Parliament |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Mahama-Ayariga-renders-unrepentant-apology-to-Parliament-523944 |access-date=13 June 2017 |website=GhanaWeb |publisher=}} 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 June 4, 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.{{Cite web |title=Why Speaker released Mahama Ayariga to face trial |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Why-Speaker-released-Mahama-Ayariga-to-face-trial-753001 |access-date=2019-06-08 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-03|title=Speaker turns down Ayariga's plea for rejection of EC's new identification requirements|url=https://citinewsroom.com/2020/06/speaker-turns-down-ayarigas-plea-for-rejection-of-ecs-new-identification-requirements/|access-date=2020-06-03|website=Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-06-03 |title=Speaker rejects Ayariga's motion on EC's Constitutional Instrument |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/news/national/speaker-rejects-ayarigas-motion-on-ecs-c-i/ |access-date=2020-06-03 |website=MyJoyOnline |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Ayariga is married. He is a Muslim.{{Cite web |title=Parliament of Ghana |url=https://www.parliament.gh/mps?mp=271 |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=www.parliament.gh}} His father, Frank Abdulai Ayariga, also served as member of parliament for the Bawku Constituency during the third republic administration of Hilla Limann.