The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has been awarded the Africa Patriotic Legislator of the year by the League of African Development Students.

The group, an umbrella body for all democratic Students Unions in Africa started since 1985 at the Bayero University, Kano (Nigeria) with the objectives of sensitising her members on the Development Best Practices is now present in over 25 countries of Africa.  

The certificate of award signed by its general secretary Osisiogu Osikenyi recognises Haruna Iddrisu’s outstanding contribution to Africa’s development and meritorious service to God, humanity, and country especially through various national and international assignments and community development.

A delegation of 12 outstanding students drawn from various African countries were in Accra to present the award to the minority leader.

Born in 1970 at Tamale, Ghana Haruna Iddrisu studied at the University of Ghana between 1993 and 1997 where he obtained B.A. (Hons) in Sociology.

He was active in student politics and was the President of the National Union of Ghana Students during his final year.

Iddrisu is also a barrister and has been a member of the Ghana Bar Association since 2002. After being a student leader for years in his tertiary education period, Iddrisu transitioned into mainstream national politics and rose to become the National Youth Organiser for the National Democratic Congress in 2002.

He held that position for eight years even whilst Minister of Communications until stepping down in 2010 and not seeking reelection. The Tamale South Member of Parliament has represented the constituency since its creation in 2004.

Haruna served as the Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications and also the Minority Spokesman on Communications in the fourth Parliament when the NDC, his party was in opposition.

He retained his seat in the 2008 parliamentary election by gaining 78.2% of the total votes cast. He once again retained his seat in the 2012 parliamentary elections by getting 74.6% of the total votes cast.

Even though his party lost the Presidential Elections, Haruna retained his seat in the 2016 Elections and was selected to lead the minority caucus as the Minority Leader of the 7th Parliament of the 4th Republic in Ghana.

He currently leads the minority NDC side in parliament, both parties the NDC and the governing NPP have 137 seats in the house.