The Fourth Republic of Ghana's Speaker of the 9th Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has been formally sworn in.

On January 7, 2025, he was sworn in after President-elect John Dramani Mahama endorsed him for the Speaker position. After serving as Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Bagbin's reelection solidifies his place as a pivotal player in Ghanaian parliamentary history.

The move for Bagbin's nomination was made by Cassiel Ato Forson, the recently confirmed Majority Leader, to start the proceedings. On the parliamentary floor, Forson said, "I move that Hon. Alban Bagbin do take the chair of this House as the Speaker of the 9th Parliament."

Despite considerable drama, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin seconded the proposal. Afenyo-Markin expressed dissatisfaction with the nomination process, pointing to what he called insufficient consultation by the president-elect in Bagbin's support.


Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, the Clerk of Parliament, quickly disregarded the Minority Leader's objections, stating that the remarks had nothing to do with the procedures of seconding the motion.

Bagbin was then formally confirmed as Speaker by the Chief Justice, Gertrude Esaaba Torkornoo, who administered the Oath of Office.

Bagbin urged unity and vowed to act impartially to guarantee the House's smooth operation in his acceptance address.

As Bagbin continues to lead the affairs of a legislature controlled by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which has a sizable majority, the event represents a pivotal point in Ghana's parliamentary history.

Alban Bagbin's profile

1. After attending the Upper West Region's Sombo R. C. Primary and Wa Secondary Schools, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Bagbin, went on to the Northern Region's Tamale Secondary School, where he earned his Advanced Level Certificate in 1977.Top online courses

2. He was accepted to the University of Ghana School of Law, where he earned a law and English degree in 1980. In 1982, after attending the Ghana Law School, he was called to the bar.

3. He graduated from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in 2008 with an Executive Master's degree in Governance and Leadership and a Certificate in Privatization in Public Utilities and Infrastructure from the Eastern South Africa Management Institute (ESAMI), Tanzania.

4. Previously, Rt. Hon. Bagbin served as the Board's acting secretary and assistant administrative officer for the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). He carried on practicing law while at GSS after previously joining the Akyem Chambers. Before departing to teach English in Libya, he worked as Personnel Manager for the former State Hotels Corporation. After his return in 1986, he served as an external solicitor for several banks, industries, Stools, and other customers from 1989 to 1992.

5. Later, he and two colleagues founded the Law Trust Company, a private law firm. The Managing Partner was him.


6. The Speaker took the oath of office in January 1993 after being elected MP in 1992. He served as the chair of several parliamentary committees, including the House Committee, Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, and Public Accounts Committee.

7. He was named the NDC's Minority Leader in Parliament by the party's then-leadership sometime in late December 2000. He was a standout in this capacity. He was reappointed in January 2009, this time as the Majority Leader.

8. He was later promoted to the Executive to hold the positions of Minister of Health, Works and Housing, and Water Resources. He served in the Office of the President as an adviser as well.

9. He was once again given command of Parliament as the unstoppable Majority Leader. Once more, he set himself apart.

10. In January 2017, he was chosen as the second deputy speaker for the 7th Parliament, which was chaired by Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye Sr., as the record 7th Term MP representing Nadowli.

11. The Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Group (ACP), the European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly (EUJPA), the International Council for Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), and the Global Organization for Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) are just a few of the international organizations and boards that Speaker Bagbin has served on. He was a member of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) Governing Board, the National Media Commission (NMC), and the Legal Aid Board.

12. He was ultimately chosen to serve as Speaker of the 4th Republic of Ghana's 8th Parliament. He served as Nadowli's MP from January 1993 to January 2021. From January 2021 to January 2025, he served as the substantive Speaker of Parliament.

13. He served as both the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments in Africa's president and the immediate past president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

14. In 1982, he became a member of the Ghana Bar Association. 43 years at the bar.