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The Alfred Nobel University of Ukraine has awarded parallel honorary doctorate degrees to the Chief Executive Officer of the Zongo Development Fund (ZoDF), Alhaji Arafat Sulemana Abdulai, for his service to humanity.

The Doctor in Philosophy in Humanities and Science was conferred on Alhaji Arafat for his exemplary leadership in propelling socio-economic development of people in Zongo communities.

The convocation was held last Saturday by the representatives of the Alfred Nobel University at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research of the University of Ghana, Legon.

Reverend Professor Emeritus Edwin Korley, who represented the President of the university, Prof Borys Kholod, decorated Alhaji Arafat with the academic gown and presented the honorary doctorate degrees to him.

In a citation, Prof Emeritus Korley said the University had identified Alhaji Arafat as “a very committed, hardworking and highly intelligent Ghanaian that has imparted so much to society through his social interaction with humanity both in Ghana and abroad.

“These awards represent the recipient’s commitment in ensuring excellent service delivery in promoting Zongo Development Fund’s projects, thereby enhancing better life for the zongo dwellers nationwide,” the citation reads.

Reverend Professor Emeritus Korley said it was in light of the achievements that the University had decided to confer the prestigious and meritorious parallel doctorate degrees in Humanities and in Science on Alhaji Arafat.

Under Alhaji Arafat’s leadership, ZoDF has completed about 200 projects, namely school blocks, toilet facilities, mechanised water systems, drains and roads, while about 500 others are at different stages of completion.

In his remarks, Dr Arafat said his decision to return to Ghana to work with ZoDF after several years abroad was a call to duty and a sacrifice.

He said he was doing his work to affect the lives of people in Zongo communities without noticing that the spotlight was on him.

Dr Arafat said the award would motivate him to continue to offer his best for Zongo communities.

“It is a call to go beyond limit and a signal that whatever you are doing, people are watching you. By Allah’s grace the satellite focused on ZoDF. It took hard work to do that.

“We will not let you down. We will not relent on our course to make the Zongo a new place for humanity,” he said,

Dr Arafat dedicated the award to the President for appointing him as the CEO of ZoDF, the former Minister of Inner-City and Zongo Development, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, for giving him the free hand to work and the management and staff of the Fund for their cooperation.

Dr Arafat is a graduate from the University of Ghana where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Sociology and a Masters’ Degree at the Alice Salomon University of Applied Science in Berlin, Germany. He is a specialist in social work and conflict management.

He was the Technical Advisor to the late CEO of ZoDF. He had worked as an advanced social worker for a decade in London and he is a member of the British Association of Social Work and Health Care Professional Council of United of United Kingdom.

He was the former Headmaster of Presbyterian Junior High School in Tamale.