▁he ▁successfully ▁established ▁his ▁own ▁civil ▁engineering ▁and ▁general ▁construction ▁firm , ▁L ID RA ▁Limited , ▁and ▁became ▁its ▁Man aging ▁Director . ▁He ▁was ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Regional ▁Cont ract ors ▁Association ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁until ▁the ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁elections . ▁ ▁Mah ama ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁Al umn us ▁of ▁the ▁Gh ana ▁Institute ▁of ▁Management ▁and ▁Public ▁Administration ▁( G I MP A ). ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁sh ar pen ▁and ▁deep en ▁his ▁management ▁and ▁leadership ▁skills , ▁he ▁obtained ▁two ▁certific ates ▁from ▁the ▁Institute ▁in ▁Project ▁Pl anning ▁and ▁Management ▁and ▁in ▁Le ad ership . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁Council or ▁on ▁the ▁Y endi ▁District ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁an ▁Assembly man ▁on ▁the ▁Tam ale ▁Municipal ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁Development ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Tam ale - Louis ville ▁Sister ▁State ▁Committee . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁board ▁member ▁of ▁several ▁secondary ▁schools ▁in ▁the ▁Northern ▁Region ▁including ▁the ▁Tam ale ▁Poly techn ic . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Board ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Gh ana ian ▁Premier ▁League ▁side ▁Real ▁Tam ale ▁United , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member . ▁ ▁Ret irement ▁and ▁death ▁After ▁two ▁terms ▁as ▁Vice - Pres ident , ▁he ▁sought ▁the ▁New ▁Patri otic ▁Party ' s ▁nom ination ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁president