What does Mustapha Hamid brings on board as Zongo Minister?

He was born in the Northern Regional capital of Tamale on the 14th of June 1971 to Hamidu Yakubu and Adama Musah.

He then went to Bawku Secondary School for his Ordinary Level from 1982-1987.

Mustapha Abdul-Hamid entered Tamale Secondary School in 1987 for his Advanced level. In 1991, he entered the University of Cape Coast to pursue a Bachelor of Arts course with English Language, Classics and Religious Studies.

He eventually majored in Religious Studies, obtaining a Second Class, Upper Division. He also pursued a Diploma in Education concurrently with the Degree program.

He holds a Diploma in Education, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies and a Master of Philosophy Degree, also in Religious Studies, all from the University of Cape Coast.

He was a Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Cape Coast, where he specializes in the areas of Islam & Gender and Political Thought in Islam.

Mustapha Hamid has published widely in many prestigious academic journals around the world. In politics, he was National Youth Organiser of the NPP from 2002-2005.

Prior to taking up teaching, he worked in the media in various capacities as Editor of the High Street Journal, Editor of the Statesman newspaper, News Editor at the then Choice FM and Strategy Planning Manager at Media Majique & Research Systems.

In 2017, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has explained the creation of a new ministerial portfolio to handle Zongo affairs, under the name, Inner City and Zongo Development.

The portfolio according to him would operate under the Office of the President, with all its budgetary allocations coming under the President's office.

The Zongos in Ghana are settlements in the cities mainly populated predominantly by settlers from northern Ghana.

Justifying why that of the Zongo was for instance created, Nana Addo said if his government was to succeed, not only in the delivery of the promises in its manifesto, but more importantly in the reasons for the promises, then the development that has to take place has to be coordinated and fit in the overall ministerial economic planning.

The rationale, he said was to ensure that the development of the inner cities and zongos, did not become areas of despair, areas of difficulty and areas of social conflict.

In the first reshuffle, Mustapha Hamid has been moved to the Ministry of Inner-City and Zongo Development.

Hamid replaces Boniface Abubakar Siddique.

He has laughed off suggestions that his transfer to the Zongo Ministry is demeaning and a demotion considering the position from which he was moved.

He maintained that he considers the move to the Zongo Ministry as an honour taking into cognisance that service to the people is one of the biggest opportunities and honour that can be bestowed on anyone.

Mustapha Hamid is married with five children.

But what does Mustapha Abdul-Hamid brings on board as the Zongo Minister?