Mark Woyongo
Ghanaian politician (1946–2024)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mark Owen Woyongo (9 June 1946 – 17 January 2024) was a Ghanaian politician who served as the Ghanaian Minister for the Interior for the Ghanaian Ministry of the Interior. He was also the Member of Parliament for the Navrongo Central constituency in Ghana.
Hon. Mark Owen Woyongo | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ghana Parliament for Navrongo Central | |
| In office 7 January 2013 – 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Kofi Adda |
| Majority | 2,464 |
| Upper East Region Minister | |
| In office 2009–2014 | |
| President | John Atta Mills |
| Preceded by | Alhassan Samari |
| Succeeded by | Ephraim Avea Nsoh |
| Minister for Defence | |
| In office 2013–2014 | |
| President | John Dramani Mahama |
| Preceded by | Joseph Henry Smith |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Kunbuor |
| Minister for the Interior | |
| In office 16 July 2014 – 7 January 2017 | |
| President | John Dramani Mahama |
| Preceded by | Kwesi Ahwoi |
| Succeeded by | Ambrose Dery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 June 1946 |
| Died | 17 January 2024 (aged 77) Accra, Ghana |
| Party | National Democratic Congress |
Woyongo first stood for election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress in the 2008 Ghanaian parliamentary election, winning 41.7% of the votes and losing to Joseph Kofi Adda of the New Patriotic Party by 1,130 votes (3.5%).[1] He was however appointed the Upper East Regional Minister by President Mills in his government in 2009. He was retained in this position by President Mahama following the death of Mills. In 2013, he was nominated by President Mahama for the position of Minister for Defence.[2]
Early life and education
Woyongo was born on 9 June 1946 in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana. He attended Notre Dame Secondary School in Navrongo in 1966. He completed a Diploma in Journalism from Ghana Institute of Journalism in 1971. He undertook professional courses in Ghana and abroad.[3]
Political career
Mark Owen Woyongo was the Public Relations Officer for the Upper East Regional Administration from 1978 and 1985. He was appointed the Regional Information Officer, Upper East Region in 1985. In 1994, he was appointed the Minister Counselor for Information at the Ghana High Commission in London, United Kingdom. Mark Woyongo was the Minister for the Upper East Region from 2009 to 2012.[4] He survived a fatal accident when returning from the NDC congress held in the Upper East region.[5]
Woyongo won the 2012 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). In 2013, he was appointed Defence Minister and subsequently to the Ministry of the Interior during his tenure as Upper East Regional Minister.[6]
