Our Team | Institute of Public Policy Initiatives
Dr. Ahmed Taqi-ud-Deen Sa-eed
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Ahmed Taqi-ud-Deen Sa-eed is the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI) and a seasoned international development executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in public policy, governance, institutional development, and programme management. He holds a PhD in Development Studies and an MPhil in Development Management from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. Throughout his career, Dr. Sa-eed has provided strategic leadership for complex, multi-stakeholder programmes funded by leading international development partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and Global Affairs Canada (formerly DFATD). His expertise spans strategic planning, policy analysis, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), impact evaluation, research, resource mobilization, digital transformation, environmental and social safeguards, and organizational performance management. An accomplished researcher, author, and policy advisor, he has led numerous national and international research and evaluation assignments that have strengthened governance systems, enhanced institutional accountability, and informed evidence-based policymaking across Africa. As Chief Executive Officer of IPPI, Dr. Sa-eed provides strategic leadership to advance the Institute's mission of generating high-quality research, shaping evidence-based public policy, strengthening institutions, and promoting sustainable and inclusive development through innovation, partnerships, and thought leadership.
Mr. Abubakari Sadik Alhassan
USA Country Director
Mr. Abubakari Sadik Alhassan is the USA Country Director of the Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI) and an experienced organizational leader with over 10 years of expertise in leadership development, strategic planning, financial management, and institutional advancement. He has demonstrated strong capacity in designing and implementing strategic initiatives, strengthening organizational systems, managing resources effectively, and fostering partnerships that support sustainable growth and impact. His professional experience reflects a commitment to ethical leadership, operational excellence, accountability, and results-oriented management across diverse organizational environments. As USA Country Director of IPPI, Mr. Alhassan provides strategic representation and leadership in advancing the Institute’s international engagement, strengthening partnerships with stakeholders in the United States, supporting resource mobilization efforts, and promoting the Institute’s mission of evidence-based public policy research, innovation, and sustainable development through effective governance and global collaboration
Dr. Mubarik Salifu
Ghana Country Director
Dr. Mubarik Salifu is the Country Director of the Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI). He is an accomplished economist, researcher, and policy scholar with expertise in applied economics, public policy analysis, development economics, and evidence-based decision-making. Through his academic and professional work, Dr. Salifu has contributed to research, teaching, and policy discourse on economic development, institutional governance, and sustainable socio-economic transformation. His experience in economic analysis, research supervision, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge dissemination strengthen his capacity to bridge academic scholarship with practical policy solutions. As Country Director of IPPI, Dr. Salifu provides strategic leadership in advancing the Institute’s policy research agenda, strengthening partnerships with public institutions, academia, development organizations, and other stakeholders, and promoting high-quality evidence generation to support inclusive development and effective public policy outcomes in Ghana.
Dr. Mohammed Issahaku
Finance Director
Dr. Mohammed Issahaku is the Finance Director of the Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI) and a finance and development management professional with more than 20 years of experience in financial leadership, grants management, donor compliance, and organizational governance. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration (Accounting) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), a Master of Science in Accounting, a Master of Arts in Business Planning and Microfinance Management, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting. Throughout his career, he has established and strengthened financial management systems for national and international development organizations, holding senior finance leadership positions with MEDA Ghana, the Ghanaian Danish Communities Programme (GDCP), School for Life, Youth Alive Ghana, and the UNDP-supported Africa 2000 Network. His expertise encompasses financial strategy, budgeting, internal controls, donor-funded project finance, grant management, risk management, audit coordination, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance, with extensive experience managing programmes funded by Global Affairs Canada (formerly DFATD), USAID, DANIDA, and UNDP. As Finance Director of IPPI, Dr. Issahaku provides strategic financial leadership, ensuring sound fiscal management, transparency, accountability, and effective stewardship of the Institute's resources in support of its mission to advance evidence-based public policy, research, and sustainable development.
Iddrisu Samawilu
Human Capital and Administration Director
Iddrisu Samawilu is the Human Capital and Administration Director of the Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI) and a seasoned human resource and organizational development professional with over 25 years of experience in human capital management, organizational governance, project operations, and public administration. He holds a Commonwealth Executive Master of Public Administration from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), a Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Cape Coast, a Higher National Diploma in Management Studies, and is a Chartered Human Resource Management professional and member of both the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management (CIHRM), Ghana, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions with UNICEF, MEDA Ghana, Global Affairs Canada, School for Life, CARE, USAID-funded programmes, and Ghana's National Commission for Civic Education, leading strategic initiatives in human resource management, organizational development, performance management, policy development, governance, and institutional capacity strengthening. His expertise includes talent management, organizational transformation, leadership development, compliance, employee relations, and operational excellence within complex, donor-funded environments. As Human Capital and Administration Director of IPPI, Mr. Samawilu provides strategic leadership in human capital, organizational culture, administration, and institutional effectiveness, fostering high-performance teams, strong governance, and operational excellence in support of the Institute's mission to advance evidence-based public policy, research, and sustainable development
Fredrick Aminu Nantogma, PMP
Programme Director
Fredrick Aminu Nantogma is the Director of Programmes at the Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI) and a project management and international development specialist with extensive experience in programme leadership, monitoring, evaluation, learning (MEL), digital innovation, and policy advocacy. He has successfully led and supported more than 18 nationally significant development programmes funded by leading international partners, including the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO/UK Aid), UNDP, Grand Challenges Canada, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Johnson & Johnson, and the African Women's Development Fund. His expertise spans mental health, rehabilitation, sexual and reproductive health and rights, sustainable livelihoods, governance, and development policy. Fredrick holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, a Master of Science in Information Technology, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has additional certifications in impact evaluation, data science and machine learning, safeguarding, and research ethics. As Director of Programmes at IPPI, he provides strategic leadership in programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, partnership development, and knowledge management, advancing the Institute's mission to deliver high-quality research, evidence-based public policy, and sustainable development outcomes through innovation, accountability, and strategic collaboration
Abdul-Razak Muhammed
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Director
Abdul-Razak Muhammed is the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Director of the Institute of Public Policy Initiatives (IPPI) and an accomplished international development and results management specialist with over 18 years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, research, organizational learning, environmental and social safeguards, and project management. He holds a Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Development Studies from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. Throughout his career, he has provided technical leadership for complex, donor-funded programmes with organizations including the World Bank Group, GIZ, MEDA, ITAD, Invest in Africa, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, and Songtaba, supporting initiatives across Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Uganda. His expertise spans impact evaluation, research design, data analytics, knowledge management, stakeholder engagement, adaptive management, environmental and social risk management, and organizational capacity strengthening. He is proficient in advanced data management and visualization tools, including Power BI, STATA, SPSS, SurveyCTO, KoboToolbox, and ODK, and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications on sustainable development and livelihoods. As MEAL Director of IPPI, Abdul-Razak provides strategic leadership in performance measurement, evidence generation, accountability systems, and organizational learning, ensuring that the Institute's research, policy, and development programmes deliver measurable impact, inform evidence-based policymaking, and meet the highest international standards of quality, transparency, and accountability.