Prior to the New Patriotic Party’s primaries, Voiceless media, an independent media house in Ghana published a political studies that predicted the victory of leading Aspiring Parliamentary Candidate in the Yendi Constituency, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama.
Political analysts and social commentators were not amazed at their findings as the young politician and son of former Vice President, Aliu Mahama had distinguished himself and won the heart of Yendi long before campaigns commenced.
The Aspirant himself was very sure when he said in an interview with Voiceless Media that ” my record of dedicated and committed services to my party and the people of Yendi shall earn me victory not only in my party’s primaries but in the General Elections.”
This piece, however, seeks to tell exactly how Farouk won the heart of Yendi and why he emerged victorious at their internal election last Saturday.
After the demise of his father, Farouk did not abandon his legacy of hardwork, philanthropy and patriotism that got him very loved across political boundaries. He sought to consolidate his father’s legacy and build upon it his own through his non-Governmental Organisation, Partnership for Poverty Reduction (PPR).
The work he has done and is still doing and the impact he has already made in the Yendi Constituency remain unprecedented.
Towards poverty reduction and women empowerment, Farouk has sponsored the training of many girls and women in shea butter production and soap making and provided them initial capital to start their businesses.
These women who hitherto were unemployed are now happily engaged and economically empowered. That is impact.
More refreshingly, his organisation is also training other young ladies to reduce poverty, empower them and discourage them from migrating to the south to engage in ‘kayayei’ activities.
Towards the development of Agriculture in the constituency, he has personally procured and distributed over 600 pieces of knapsack sprayers to farmers. He has also distributed cutlasses, lfertilisers, weedicides and anti-snake bites to over 800 farmers to improve their yields and safety.
On education and health, apart from paying fees and helping secure scholarships for about 100 students in the Constituency, Alhaji Farouk has donated 100 bags of cement to the construction of an Administration Block at Yendi College of Health Sciences. Recently, his organisation undertook Free Hepatitis B Vaccination and Health Screening for communities in the constituency.
According to constituents, one of the big challenges of the Yendi constituency is poor water supply. Farouk donated Ghs10, 000 to help improve lthe water system and delivery in the constituency.
Recognising the role of media in the development of his people, the young visionary also made a donation of Ghs20,000 to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in Yendi to improve their transmission works.
All these efforts are aside what he contributed to his party and members to improve the development of the party and the people.
His actions planted him in the heart of the people and their traditional leaders. In fact, after sponsoring the refurbishment of their 30-year abandoned mortuary for reuse, the Yagbonwura could not hide his admiration for him when he publicly declared that “Farouk Aliu Mahama is a man of his words.”
He did not wait until elections time to support his people and help in the development of the constituency.
His father, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, former President under John Kufuor from 2001 to 2008 left a legacy of hard work, dedication and generosity which, he is committed to not only preserving but projecting for his generation and younger ones to learn from.
Source: Raymond Ablorh, a season communicator, a vibrant youth activist
