The Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has pledged to serve the House and the country “wholeheartedly”.

While reading his acceptance speech upon his election to the high office on Thursday, 7 January 2021, the former Nadowli Kaleo MP said: “I humbly accept the high and privileged office of the Speaker of the 8th Parliament of the Republic of Ghana”.

The seven-time Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli Kaleo continued: “I will submit myself to the will of this house and pledge to serve my dear country, to serve you and to serve all Ghanaians faithfully to the best of my ability.

“I will also conscientiously discharge my duties as the Speaker of this Parliament. I want to promise wholeheartedly to put at the disposal of the Parliament and the country, the store of knowledge, immense experience and the huge databank I have accumulated and accommodated over the 28 years that I have been a member of this House and experience”.

Alban Bagbin was elected over the New Patriotic Party's nominee, Prof Mike Oquaye, who had served as Speaker of the Seventh Parliament.

Chief Justice Anin Yeboah administered the oath of allegiance and the Speaker's oath to Mr Bagbin.

Mr Bagbin is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and has been the MP for Nadowli Kaleo in the Upper West Region in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th parliaments of the 4th republic of Ghana.

Mr Bagbin announced his intention to run for President in 2008 on the NDC ticket, but never stood for the primaries.

He became the Majority Leader of parliament in 2009.

Following a cabinet reshuffle in January 2010, he was appointed Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing by President John Evans Atta Mills.

He was also Majority Leader of Parliament under President John Mahama when he succeeded Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who was appointed as the Minister of Defence.