The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has urged the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, not to be partisan.

He explained that although Mr Bagbin was an NDC member, his new position placed him above NDC issues.

“I believe that even though your position places you above partisanship, NDC is in your DNA and we cannot disengage you from the party that has nurtured you from being an MP to the position of speaker,” he stated.

Thanksgiving Mass

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was making a statement at a thanksgiving Mass in honour of Mr Bagbin at Sombo in the Nadowli-Kaleo constituency last Thursday.

Mr Bagbin was in his native town to give thanks for his election as the Speaker of the eighth Parliament.

He was accompanied by the leadership of Parliament including the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu; the Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Andrew Asiamah; the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu; the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu; the Clerk to Parliament, Mr Cyril Kwabena Nsiah; the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih; the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia as well as other personalities.

Mr Bagbin, who hails from Sombo in the Nadowli-Kaleo constituency, was in the region for a three-day tour to express his utmost gratitude to the people for supporting him wholeheartedly in his 28 years role as a Member of Parliament (MP) and his final elevation to the pinnacle seat as the Speaker of Parliament.

Roots

He reminded Mr Bagbin that it was the NDC that helped nurture him from his first time as an MP to his current position.

“Mr Speaker, for the past three months, you have been described by the NDC as New Patriotic Party (NPP) speaker, at one time the NPP has described you as NDC Speaker.

“But Mr Speaker, you have maintained the position that you are the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament and I believe that the various description give credence to the fact that you will be capable of standing in the middle and steer the affairs of this Parliament to a successful end,” he stated.

Support

Mr Ampofo said that the NDC would continue to support Mr Bagbin in his endeavours, saying that the party was his achievement, especially since he moved up in ranks from being a member of the first Parliament under the Fourth Republic to being Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Speaker and now a Speaker.

“We will continue to offer our prayers and support to you and pray to the Almighty God that at this critical stage of our national development you will rise above partisanship and put Ghana first so that we can all address the socio-economic challenges facing our country. We will eliminate hunger, poverty, disease and bring prosperity to all of us,” he said

Mr Ampofo said because the eighth Parliament was the “most complicated” in the history of Ghana, it required someone with dexterity, experience and the necessary capacity to manage it.

He said he had no doubt that Mr Bagbin would live up to the expectations.

Background

Mr Bagbin had been the MP for Nadowli-Kaleo since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1993 until he decided not to seek re-election to the eighth Parliament.

On January 7, 2021, he was proposed for the speakership position by the NDC caucus in Parliament and he won against the candidate of the governing NPP, Prof. Mike Oquaye, who was the Speaker of the previous Parliament.

During his 28 years as MP, Mr Bagbin held many positions, including Minority Leader, Majority Leader, Second Deputy Speaker, Minister of Health and Minister of Works and Housing.