The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has picked outgoing Nadowli Kaleo MP, Alban Bagbin, to become the next Speaker of Parliament.
The main opposition party settled on the veteran lawmaker after a meeting at its headquarters in Accra on Tuesday ahead of the dissolution of the current Parliament on the midnight of 6 January 2021.
The two major parties in Ghana – New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC – have 137 seats each in Parliament with one independent MP, who has declared support for the governing party.
However, the NDC said it also has majority in parliament hence the need to decide who becomes the next speaker.
NPP’s choice
The National Council of the NPP has opted to retain Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye as Speaker for the eighth parliament of the Fourth Republic. The NPP announced the decision after a meeting on Monday (4 January 2020).
“The issue of Speaker: yes, [it came up]. The president and Council believe that, considering the slimmest nature of [the NPP’s majority in] Parliament – only one more than our opponents – we need consistency, somebody that will not create any friction whatsoever… we will be prepared to go with the current Speaker [Professor Mike Oquaye],” John Boadu, general secretary of the NPP, said.
Boadu added: “After thorough discussion of the various positions, Council agreed that Honourable Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu should be the Majority Leader. He is to be deputised by Honourable Alex Afenyo-Markin.
“The Chip Whip is Honourable Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency … The two deputy whips [are] Honourable Seyram Alhassan, who is the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, and Honourable Habib Iddrisu, the MP for Tolon.
“These are the decisions that Council came to, about the leadership of our parliamentary caucus.”
Oquaye, 76, served as Second Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana between 2009 and 2013.
A member of the New Patriotic Party, he was the MP for Dome-Kwabenya from 2005 to 2013.
He was Ghana’s high commissioner to India from 2001 to 2004 and then energy minister from 2005 to 2006. He also served as minister of communications from 2006 to 2009.
* Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online
#asaaseradio #TVOL
