By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Jan 07, GNA – Ghana’s Ninth Parliament has officially been inaugurated, marking the beginning of a new legislative session.
The historic event took place in the early hours of Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at Parliament House in Accra.
Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the newly re-elected Speaker of Parliament, was sworn in by the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo.
Mr Bagbin, who previously served as the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament, was re-nominated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and received overwhelming support from Members of Parliament (MPs).
Following his swearing-in, Mr Bagbin officially presided over the oath-taking ceremony for the 275 MPs-elect, excluding the representative from the Ablekuma North.
He also presided over the election of Mr Bernard Ahiafor, an NDC MP for Akatsi South, as First Deputy Speaker and Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Fomena, as the Second Deputy Speaker.
Mr Asiamah Amoako, was the Second Deputy Speaker of the Eighth Parliament as an Independent Candidate, with an allegiance to the NPP Caucus.
He was therefore re-nominated by the NPP Caucus in the Ninth Parliament to be retained as the Second Deputy Speaker of the House.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by family members, friends, and dignitaries, marking the beginning of a new legislative era.
The NDC’s leadership team for the new Parliament are; Majority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam; Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle; Majority Chief Whip, Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, MP for Adaklu; Deputy Majority Whip, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda and Second Majority Whip is Madam Comfort Doyoe Gansah, MP for Ada.
On the Minority side, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu is the Minority Leader; Deputy Minority Leader, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, MP for Asokwa, Minority Chief Whip, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Deputy Minority Whip, Mr Habib Iddrisu, MP for Tolon with Mr Jerry Amhed Shaib, MP for Weija-Gbawe replacing Mr Alex Tetteh Djornobuah, a former NPP MP for Akontombra as the Second Minority Whip.
Mr Tetteh Djornobuah lost his seat in the 2024 Parliamentary election.
However, the event was marred by a legal challenge surrounding the Akwatia parliamentary seat. The Koforidua High Court upheld an injunction preventing Mr Ernest Kumi, the NPP candidate for Akwatia, from being sworn in. The injunction was granted after the NDC’s candidate, Henry Boakye Yiadom, filed a petition citing irregularities in the December 7, 2024, elections.
This legal challenge arose after the NDC’s candidate, Mr Boakye Yiadom, filed a petition against the Electoral Commission, Mr Kumi, and the Clerk of Parliament, citing alleged irregularities in the December elections.
The court granted the injunction on January 2, 2025, which halted Kumi’s swearing-in.
The NPP counsel, Mr Gary Nimako Marfo, contended that the injunction was improperly filed and urged the court to dismiss the petition, arguing that election results could only be challenged within 21 days after they had been gazetted.
Despite the NPP’s arguments, the injunction remained in place pending further hearings.
In the aftermath of the legal ruling, Minority Leader Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed that Mr Kumi was willing to participate in the swearing-in process and the subsequent election of the Speaker, even if it meant facing legal consequences.
However, Acting Clerk to Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror emphasised that allowing Mr Kumi to participate in the swearing-in ceremony would be a violation of the court’s order.
GNA