Hon. Haruna Iddrisu

Biography

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu is the current Minister for Education of the Republic of Ghana and the Chairman of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO. He is a legislator in the Parliament of Ghana, representing the Tamale South constituency since 2005. He is a qualified lawyer with expertise in public policy, governance, and institutional reform with a legislative career spanning over two decades. Hon. Iddrisu is recognized for his elegance, exceptional oratory skills and pragmatic approaches to problem solving.  

Hon. Iddrisu has a degree in Sociology and holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ghana, Legon and a Barrister-at-Law certificate from the Ghana School of Law. He has been a member of the Ghana Bar Association since 2002.

As a Member of Parliament, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu served as Minority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament. He chaired the Committee on Administration and Human Resources and was a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Co-Rapporteur of the IPU Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance, and Trade. In 2011, he served as Commissioner of the ITU/WHO Commission on Information and Accountability on Women’s and Children’s Health.

Prior to his role as Minister for Education, Hon. Iddrisu served in other ministerial positions such as Minister for Communications from 2009 to January 2013, Minister for Trade and Industry from February 2013 to July 2014 and Minister for Employment and Labour from July 2014 to January 2017.

During his tenure as Minister for Communications, he championed the deepening of competition in Ghana’s telecommunication industry through the introduction of Mobile Number Portability, SIM card Registration and Data Protection Law to protect privacy. 

At the Ministry for Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as Minister, chaired the Technical Co-operation of the 323^rd Governing Body Session of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in March 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland, and led delegations to the International Labour Conference in 2015 and 2016.

As the Minister for Trade and Industry, he promotedindustrial growth, trade expansion, and business competitiveness in Ghana and chaired both the Free Zones Board and the Brand Ghana Council.

In 1996, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu contested and won the presidency of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS). He is acknowledged as one of the most successful student leaders and credited for providing solid and robust leadership during his tenure as the President of NUGS.

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as Education Minister, is focusing on the provision of inclusive and equitable access to quality education, addressing rural-urban and north-south disparity in education to ensure that every child is prepared for the demands of the 21st-century global economy. He is passionate about strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a key pathway to economic transformation. He is championing the integration of ICT at all levels of education, teacher training and professional development.

As the Minister for Education and the minister responsible for UNESCO affairs in Ghana, Hon. Iddrisu aims to foster strategic partnerships with stakeholders and development partners to drive sustainable educational reforms in Ghana ensuring inclusivity and education for all.

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu is an avid lover of sports and enjoys playing football on weekends with his constituents in Tamale.