The Ninth Parliament of Ghana's Fourth Republic has officially been inaugurated, marking the dawn of a new era under the administration of John Dramani Mahama and Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.

The National Democratic Congress caucus has secured the majority of seats, while the New Patriotic Party has attained the minority seats, with four independent candidates also joining the fold.

As stipulated in the Constitution, the Speakers of Parliament must be elected to lead and oversee the affairs of the legislature.

After deliberations, the following individuals have been unanimously elected as the new speakers of the Ninth Parliament.

1. Alban Bagbin

The distinguished and well-respected politician and lawmaker has once again been unanimously elected as the Speaker of the 9th Parliament.

This is his second time being a Speaker as he was the Speaker of the 8th Parliament.

He served as the Member of Parliament for Nadowli West constituency in the Upper West Region of Ghana in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th parliaments of the 4th Republic, making him one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country.

2. Bernard Ahiafor

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Akatsi South is the newly-elected 1st Deputy Speaker of the 9th Parliament.

Ahiafor has been a member of the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and newly sworn in Ninth Parliaments of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.

He first contested the Akatsi South constituency parliamentary seat during the 2012 by-election, when the Member of Parliament for the constituency Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho became the Speaker of Parliament for the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.

He was elected with 12, 079 votes of the total votes. Ahiafor later won the 2012 Parliamentary election.

The lawyer-turned-politician won subsequent elections in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

He served as the Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs of Parliament in the 8th Parliament.

3. Andrew Asiamah Amoako

Representing the New Patriotic Party in the House, the Member of Parliament for Fomena, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, has been elected as the Second Deputy Speaker of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

Asiamah Amoako previously served in the same capacity in the Eighth Parliament after he won the 2020 elections as an independent candidate.

MAG/EK