Togbe Bagbin Maintains Number 3 Position

The Speaker of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has been re-elected to lead the 9th Parliament.

Known for cherishing the position of the Speaker, the former Nadowli/Kaleo legislator has once again secured the bragging rights as the third gentleman of the land, ‘Number 3.”

He was the only person nominated for the position of the Speaker for the 9th Parliament, so there was no voting, but a unanimous acceptance by both sides of the House.

He was sworn in on the dawn of Tuesday, January 7, 2024 at Parliament House, Accra.

His nomination was announced by the majority leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and seconded by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

RECORD

The late Justice Daniel Francis Annan, until Speaker Bagbin’s feat, was the only Speaker to have retained the position for a second term, since 1993.

Justice D.F. Annan served from January 7, 1993, to January 6, 1997, and then from January 7, 1997, to January 6, 2001.

However, Speaker Bagbin has also set a record of being part of all Parliaments of Ghana since January 7, 1993, both as a Member of Parliament and Speaker of Parliament.

Apart from Justice D.F. Annan, the first Speaker under the 4th Republican Constitution of 1992, who served two terms from January 7, 1993 to January 6, 1997 and then from January 7, 1997 to January 6, 2001, all other Speakers of Parliament have served just one term each.

ACCEPTANCE

In his acceptance speech, Speaker Bagbin promised to bring his “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 to support their Parliament and be interested and engaged with the work of 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,” he said.

PROFILE OF SPEAKER BAGBIN

1. The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Bagbin attended the Sombo R.C. Primary and Wa Secondary Schools in the Upper West Region. He then proceeded to Tamale Secondary School in the Northern Region where he obtained his Advanced Level Certificate in 1977.
2. He gained admission to the University of Ghana School and graduated in 1980 with a Degree in Law and English. He enrolled at the Ghana Law School and was subsequently called to the Bar in 1982.
3. He holds a Certificate in Privatization in Public Utilities and Infrastructure from the Eastern South Africa Management Institute (ESAMI), Tanzania, and an Executive Master’s Degree in Governance and Leadership from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in 2008.
4. Rt. Hon. Bagbin earlier worked with the antecedent of the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) as Assistant Administrative Officer and acting Secretary to the Board. Having joined the Akyem Chambers earlier, he continued with his legal practice whilst at GSS. He was later employed by the erstwhile State Hotels Corporation as Personnel Manager before leaving for Libya to teach English. He returned in 1986 and between 1989 and 1992, he was the external solicitor for a number of Banks, Industries, Stools and other clients.
5. Later, he established a private Law Firm, the Law Trust Company, together with two partners. He was the Managing Partner.
6. The Speaker was elected MP in 1992 and sworn to Parliament in January 1993. He chaired various committees of Parliament, including the Public Accounts Committee, Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, and House Committee.
7. Sometime in late December 2000, he was appointed by then NDC leadership to be its Minority Leader in Parliament. In this role, he distinguished himself. In January 2009, he was again appointed this time as the Majority Leader.
8. He was later brought into the Executive to serve as the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, and also as Minister for Health. He also worked as an adviser in the Office of the President.
9. He was returned to Parliament leadership once more as the indefatigable Majority Leader. Again, he distinguished himself.
10. In January 2017, as the record 7th Term MP for Nadowli, he was elected as the 2nd Deputy Speaker to serve under the Speakership of Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye Snr., in the 7th Parliament.
11. Speaker Bagbin has served on a number of Boards and international organizations including the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Group (ACP), the European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly (EUJPA), International Council for Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), and Global Organization for Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC). He served on the Governing Board of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA), Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), National Media Commission (NMC) and the Legal Aid Board.
12. He was eventually elected as Speaker of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana. He has been in Parliament since January 1993 to January 2021 as MP for Nadowli and from January as MP for Nadowli and from January 2021 to January 2025 as the substantive Speaker.
13. He is the immediate past President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and also the President of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments in Africa.
14. He has been a Member of the Ghana Bar Association since 1982. 43yrs at the Bar.

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