The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufu-Addo has appointed Mr. Zakaria Iddi as Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Deputy CEO) in charge of projects at the Northern Development Authority(NDA).

In a letter signed by the Chief of Staff Hon. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare on Friday, March 10, 2023, and copied to the Secretary to the President, Secretary to the Vice President, the National Coordinator Special Development Initiatives Secretariat and the Board Chairperson for the Northern Development Authority, the Chief of Staff said "I am pleased to inform you that H. E. the President has appointed you as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Projects at the Northern Development Authority pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the Governing Board given in consultation with the Public Services Commission"

Mr. Zakaria was appointed together with two others: Madam Janet Bibii Bashir, Deputy CEO in charge of Gender and Corporate Affairs, and Mr. William Zoogah, Deputy CEO in charge of Finance and Administration with the task to support the management of the NDA in realizing its dreams and objectives.

"I take this opportunity to congratulate you formally on your appointment," the letter said

Before his appointment, Mr. Zakaria was a Deputy Director and Acting Director of Agriculture, Agribusiness & Agro-processing at the Northern Development Authority.

Also, he has working experiences with the Shea Network Ghana, Positive Planet, MASLOC, Newmont Ghana Gold, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and Center for Agriculture & Agribusiness among others. He was one time best Teacher Award winner and a Tutor at Bagabaga Training College, Tamale.

Mr. Zakaria Coordinated the referendum for the creation of the Savannah Region under the then Ministry of Regional Reorganisation.

He has worked and traveling experiences to Kenya, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria among others.

Mr. Zakaria holds BSc Degree in Agricultural Economics, Diploma in Post Harvest Technology, MSc in Local Economic Development, and a Ph.D. candidate in Forestry and Environmental Governance. His research interest is on Climate change and landscape Degradation and Econometric modeling.

He is an agricultural policy expert and consulted for the FAO and facilitated high-level strategies for bilateral projects such as Ghana Agricultural Investment Programme (GASIP). Mr. Eddie was very informative in the development of the NDA Medium Term plan.

The Northern Development Authority

The Northern Development Authority (NDA) was established by an Act of Parliament to provide a framework for the accelerated economic and social development of the Northern Development Zone, assented to law by the President on 2nd January 2018.

Formerly, the NDA was known as the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA)