Published by Inusah Dondaliya

13th March 2026

Dagbon Zaachi Youth Association has expressed confidence in the Search committee tasked to select a new Vice Chancellor for University for Development Studies, commending the selection process so far.

The Youth Association noted that as key Stakeholders in Dagbon with Traditional authority, they have keen interest in the leadership of the UDS vis-a-vis who takes the mantle after Prof Alhassan Seidu’s tenure for future direction of the University.

In a press statement signed by the Secretary of the Youth Group, Andani Yakubu, stated that the University serves critical role in the growth and development of deprived communities in the Northern part of this country through its training programs, capacity building, academic excellence, and building of human resource across board for community service and development.

Against this backdrop, the group holds a conviction that the process of selecting the next VC should reflect expectations and objective needs of the people.

“The University for Development Studies is one of the most important academic institutions in the northern part of the country with a unique mandate to serve as a catalyst for development within deprived communities of Northern Ghana and beyond.Consequently, the process for selecting its leadership must reflect these objectives to meet the needs of the people it serves”.

Meanwhile, the statement also acknowledged the successes chalked by the current VC, applauding his tremendous achievements and imploring the Search Committee to appoint someone with similar qualities to consolidate the gains, adding that the successor must be someone earning support from all stakeholders in Dagbon including traditional authorities, religious community, and persons in academia.

Ghananewsnet.com have gathered that about ten candidates are vying for the VC position at the University for Development Students. They include, Prof. Abdulai Abubakari, Prof. Felix Kofi Abagali, Prof. Elliot ALHASSAN, Prof. Ibrahim Yakubu Seini, Prof. Mohammed Muniru Iddrisu, ⁠Prof. Abdul RAHAMAN Bin Iddrisu,Prof. Paul Kwame Nkegbe, ⁠Prof. Terry Ansah, ⁠Prof. Nafiu Amidu and
Prof. Abdulai Abubakari.

Information available to Ghananewsnet.com indicates that among the Candidates jostling for the VC position, Prof. Abdulai Abubakari is not only the Frontrunner but a leading candidate with requisite credentials such as credibility, competence, experience and long service and Institutional Memory capable to occupy the office. Above all, he is the only diligent aluminum qualified for the position.

Professor Abdulai Abubakari is a senior public health scholar and university administrator with nearly two decades of progressive leadership at the University for Development Studies (UDS). His leadership spans academic governance, institutional quality assurance, programme accreditation, and policy-driven university reform.

He has played a central role in
strengthening UDS’s regulatory compliance with GTEC, expanding professional and
postgraduate programmes, and stabilising academic systems across campuses. His vision aligns strongly with UDS’s mandate as development-focused,community-embedded, and globally connected university, with particular strengths in applied research, decentralised education, and North–South academic partnerships.

Published by Inusah Dondaliya

6th March 2026

Haruna Institute, a political advocacy group affiliated to the Tamale South MP, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu has strongly dismissed allegations that the Lawmaker has influenced the withdrawal of the IGP’s Special Operations Team from Tamale.

According to the Haruna Institute, the Education Minister has no involvement in the operations of the police team neither meddled into their modus operandi, describing the reports linking him to the withdrawal of the ‘Black Maria Team’ as vile propaganda against him, vicious and malicious attempt to tarnish his reputation.

In a letter issued today, 6th March 2026, by CEO of Haruna Institute, Abdul Ganiu Sandow, stated that the MP serves no advisory role to the IGP neither the Police Council, hence cannot not be dragged into this matter, urging the general public to treat it with all the contempt it deserves.

“We wish to state,categorically and for the record,that the Hon.Haruna Iddrisu holds no advisory role to the Inspector General of Police(IGP),nor is he a member of the Police Council.He is,therefore,not clothed with any authority,statutory or otherwise to direct or influence the IGP in the execution of his official duties.Any suggestion to the contrary is false,malicious,and intended to mislead the public”.

Since the news broke in connection with the withdrawal of the IGP’s Special Operations Team from Tamale, Politicians from the Northern Region have been badly accused of orchestrating their exit with pointification of fingers at Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as the chief architect.

Against this backdrop, Haruna Institute has cleared the air, detaching the Lawmaker from all controversies engulfing the withdrawal of the Black Maria Team from operating in the Northern Region

Published by Inusah Dondaliya

6th March 2026

The Youth in Tamale are outraged against the withdrawal of IGP’s Special Operations Team, supporting their efforts to combating drug menace in the Northern Region.

They embarked on a protest across the streets of Tamale in response to a directive from IGP asking the Special Operations Team to abandon its mission in the region.

This has sparked the rage of the youth protesting vehemently against the directive, warning that the drug menace will exacerbate and drain moral fibre of society if the ‘Black Maria’ team quits the fight.

As part of the protest, on Thursday night, 5th March 2026, the angry youth visited some Traditional Rulers and Religious Leaders in Tamale to express their displeasure over the Special Operations Team’s withdrawal, imploring on the Leaders to intervene.

The Youth also called on the Mayor of Tamale, Hon. Abu Takoro at his residence in Lamashegu to weigh into the matter by using his power to reverse the withdrawal.

Before the protest, the youth massed up at the Global Dream Hotel, where the Special Taskforce Team lodges, to show support to their efforts in fighting drug canker all this while and openly oppose their withdrawal from Tamale.

According to the rumor mill, a powerful politician in the Northern Region is displeased with the operations of the team and has meddled into their affairs, ordering the police hierarchy to stop the special operations team from operating in Tamale with immediate effect.