By Iddi Yire/Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA
Accra, Jan 07, GNA – Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin was on the dawn of Tuesday elected Speaker of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
Speaker Bagbin, who previously served as the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament, was nominated by Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, and Seconded by Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader.
The Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo administered the oath of allegiance and oath of office to Mr Bagbin.
Subsequently, Speaker Bagbin proceeded to swore in Members of the House.
He also supervised the election of Mr Bernard Ahiafor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akatsi South, as First Deputy Speaker and Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, MP for Fomena, as the Second Deputy Speaker.
Speaker Bagbin in his acceptance speech said: “It is with great humility that I accept the high unprivileged office of the Speaker of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, having had the same honour to be Speaker of the Eighth Parliament.”
“I am grateful to the Almighty God for his grace and mercies for me to achieve this rare feat. To Him, be all the praise and honour.”
The Speaker said he was very grateful for the privilege and confidence the House had reposed in him to be Speaker and to head the honorable House once more.
He also expressed his gratitude to the President-elect John Dramani Mahama, for the trust and confidence in him and his leadership of the House and for recommending his candidature in consultation with the leadership of the great National Democratic Congress to be elected Speaker of Parliament.
“I came to the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament with my experience as the longest legislator of the House,” he said.
“I now come to the Ninth Parliament with just not that background, but now with the experience of four years of Speakership of a very difficult-hung Parliament.
“I promise to bring all these experiences to bear in guiding this House to perform its mandate with efficiency, diligence, and above all, with a sense of being the bulwark of democracy in Ghana.”
He urged Ghanaians who continue to hope for a better Ghana, to support Members of the House and be interested and engaged with the work of Parliament.
GNA