Introduction
Salisu Be-Awuribe is a Ghanaian lawyer, law lecturer, valuation professional, and politician who currently serves as the Savannah Regional Minister. Appointed by President John Dramani Mahama in January 2025, he brought to the role a combination of legal expertise, local governance experience as a former District Chief Executive, and a development-focused agenda for a region that has struggled to realise its potential since its creation in 2019 . His tenure has been marked by aggressive enforcement against illegal mining, the rollout of free primary healthcare, and a candid acknowledgment that the Savannah Region requires tangible infrastructure and development, not merely administrative status .
Quick Facts About Salisu Be-Awuribe
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Salisu Be-Awuribe (also recorded as Salisu Be-Awuribe Issifu) |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Profession | Lawyer, law lecturer, valuation professional, development expert |
| Current position | Savannah Regional Minister (since 2025) |
| Education | Professional Qualifying Certificate in Law, Ghana School of Law; Master of Law (LLM), University of Ghana; Bachelor of Law (LLB) and Bachelor of Science in Land Economy, KNUST |
| Political party | National Democratic Congress (NDC) |
| Key previous roles | District Chief Executive, Central Gonja District; Savannah Regional Secretary, NDC |
| Hometown | Kosowe, Central Gonja District |
| Family | Married with children |
| Known for | Savannah Regional Minister; anti-galamsey enforcement; Free Primary Health Care launch |
Who Is Salisu Be-Awuribe?
Salisu Be-Awuribe is a legal practitioner and public official whose career bridges academia, local governance, and regional administration. Before his ministerial appointment, he was known in the Savannah Region as a former District Chief Executive of Central Gonja and as the NDC’s Savannah Regional Secretary . His professional specialisations include criminal law, chieftaincy and land law, alternative dispute resolution, and company and commercial law, and he has contributed to legal research at the University of Ghana’s Faculty of Law . His appointment as Regional Minister placed a legal and land-economy specialist at the helm of a region where land disputes, mining regulation, and chieftaincy matters are central governance concerns.
Education and Professional Background
Be-Awuribe’s educational credentials reflect a deliberate intersection of law and land administration. He holds a Professional Qualifying Certificate in Law from the Ghana School of Law, a Master of Law degree from the University of Ghana, and a Bachelor of Law alongside a Bachelor of Science in Land Economy from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The combination of legal training and land economy expertise is particularly relevant to the Savannah Region, where land tenure, mining concessions, and chieftaincy disputes frequently intersect. He has worked as a law lecturer and valuation professional, and his academic contributions have included legal research at the University of Ghana.
Political Career and Appointment
Be-Awuribe’s political trajectory within the NDC includes service as the party’s Savannah Regional Secretary, a role that positioned him within the region’s party hierarchy . He previously served as District Chief Executive for the Central Gonja District, giving him direct experience of municipal administration and local development planning. In January 2025, President Mahama nominated him as Savannah Regional Minister as part of the first batch of ten regional ministerial appointments . Before his vetting, he paid a courtesy visit to the Yagbonwura, the King and Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, to formally introduce himself and seek traditional blessings—a gesture consistent with the region’s governance customs . His tenure is recorded as running from February 2025 to January 2029.
Anti-Galamsey Enforcement
One of Be-Awuribe’s most visible interventions has been the crackdown on illegal small-scale mining. In June 2026, he disclosed that his office had confiscated no fewer than 18 excavators used in galamsey operations across the Savannah Region, with the machines placed in the custody of security agencies. He stressed that mining itself is not illegal and remains a key part of Ghana’s economy, but that the government’s focus is on enforcing responsible practices: “Mining is not a crime; it must only be done responsibly” . He noted that many confiscated excavators were operating without permits and had damaged water bodies and farmlands in districts including Bole, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, and West Gonja . The enforcement reflects a broader national concern about galamsey’s impact on the Black Volta and other tributaries that supply water to communities .
Free Primary Health Care Initiative
In July 2026, Be-Awuribe launched the Free Primary Health Care policy in Damongo, describing it as a transformative intervention designed to remove financial barriers to healthcare for residents in underserved communities. He acknowledged that many communities in the region were cut off from health facilities by poor roads, rivers, and long distances, making timely medical care a major challenge—particularly during emergencies and the rainy season. Under the policy, primary healthcare services are provided free of charge, with patients requiring higher levels of care referred appropriately and supported through the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Mahama Care initiative. He cautioned health workers against charging unauthorised fees or exploiting patients, warning that fraud or illegal medicine sales would not be tolerated. He also urged District Assemblies to construct additional CHPS compounds and provide motorbikes and tricycles to ease the movement of community health workers.
Sanitation Enforcement and Youth Employment
In August 2026, during a two-day accountability engagement in Salaga, Be-Awuribe directed Municipal and District Assemblies to intensify enforcement of sanitation bye-laws and prosecute residents who persistently fail to keep their surroundings clean. He emphasised that sanitation is a shared responsibility beginning at the household level, not solely the domain of government or sanitation workers. At the same event, he reported that 3,107 young people in the Savannah Region had been employed under the youth employment programme, describing the initiative as helping to reduce unemployment while providing work experience and skills development.
Democracy and Vote Buying
In September 2026, Be-Awuribe called for stronger public education to combat vote buying, arguing that an informed electorate must play a leading role in resisting financial inducements. Speaking at the “Democracy Is Not For Sale” programme in Damongo, he stated that the responsibility for tackling vote buying should not rest solely with politicians and law enforcement: “When the public is well educated and they themselves rise up to the challenge, then we may be far from being in the situation that we are in” . He urged citizens to “revolt against” those attempting to buy votes and to recognise that “their conscience cannot be bought” .
Development Vision and Traditional Engagement
Be-Awuribe has been candid about the Savannah Region’s developmental deficits. Before his vetting in January 2025, he stated: “The Savannah Region has not developed as expected since its creation by the previous administration. It’s not enough to simply name an area, we must build what is appropriate for it” . He committed to assisting President Mahama in “resetting Ghana” and developing the Savannah Region to meet the aspirations of its people . His engagement with traditional authorities has been consistent, including a working visit to the Bole District in February 2026 where he paid a courtesy call on the Bolewura and informed him of government development projects to be undertaken in the area. In May 2025, he also met with the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, to discuss bilateral relations and local exchanges.
Frequently Asked Questions About Salisu Be-Awuribe
Who is Salisu Be-Awuribe?
Salisu Be-Awuribe is the Savannah Regional Minister of Ghana, appointed by President John Dramani Mahama in January 2025. He is a lawyer, law lecturer, and former District Chief Executive of Central Gonja.
What position does Salisu Be-Awuribe hold?
He is the Savannah Regional Minister, with a tenure recorded from February 2025 to January 2029 .
What did Salisu Be-Awuribe study?
He holds a Professional Qualifying Certificate in Law from the Ghana School of Law, an LLM from the University of Ghana, and a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Science in Land Economy from KNUST.
What was Salisu Be-Awuribe’s career before politics?
He worked as a law lecturer, lawyer, and valuation professional, with specialisations in criminal law, chieftaincy and land law, alternative dispute resolution, and commercial law.
Which political party does Salisu Be-Awuribe belong to?
He is a member of the National Democratic Congress and previously served as the party’s Savannah Regional Secretary .
What are Salisu Be-Awuribe’s priorities as Regional Minister?
His priorities include combating illegal mining, expanding healthcare access through the Free Primary Health Care policy, enforcing sanitation bye-laws, youth employment, and delivering tangible development to a region he has said has not developed as expected since its creation.
Is Salisu Be-Awuribe married?
Yes. Official records state that he is married with children and comes from Kosowe in the Central Gonja District .
Source: The Accra Daily Mail
Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of The Accra Daily Mail, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
