General News of Friday, 7 January 2005

Source: GNA

Secret balloting begins for election of Speaker

Accra, Jan. 7, GNA - Members of Parliament on Friday began secret voting for the election of a Speaker following an impasse between the two sides in the House over a single candidate.

The Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kenneth Enos Koki Tachie, who was in the Chair, called on the 230 MPs to begin voting after the Majority and Minority Leaders nominated different candidates.

Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Majority Leader, nominated Mr Ebenezer Sakyi Hughes, Member of the Council of State, as the Speaker, while Mr Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader, nominated the Speaker of the Third Parliament of the Fourth Republic, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey. The ballot papers would be counted by the Clerk who would then announce the Speaker of the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.