Veteran Ghanaian politician, Aaron Mike Oquaye, has been named the next Speaker of Parliament with Joseph Osei Wusu as his first deputy for the country’s seventh parliament under the fourth republic, which begins from January 7.

Member of Parliament for Suame constituency, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is currently the Minority leader, has been moved up to take up Majority Leader of the House. Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu would be assisted by Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Ms Adwoa Sarfo, while Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh becomes the Majority Chief Whip The decision was taken Thursday evening at the National Executive Council of the New Patriotic Party on whose ticket Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won the December 7 general elections as Ghana’s next president.

3News can authoritatively report that the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mohammed becomes the next Minority Whip. Haruna Iddrisu who is the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, has also been named Minority Leader with Member of Parliament for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi as his deputy.

Who’s Prof Ocquaye?

The 72-year old who is a lawyer by profession, served as the Second Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana between 2009 and 2013.

He was the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya between 2005 and 2013 and before then was Ghana’s High Commissioner to India from 2001 to 2004.

Between 2005 and 2006, Prof Ocquaye served as the Minister of Energy from and again Minister of Communications from between 2006 and 2009 under former President John Kufuor’s government.

Prof. Ocquaye is a professor of political science at the University of Ghana, (Legon where he previously served as the Head of the Department of Political Science Oquaye was the NPP Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya for two terms from 2004 to 2012