Doe Adjaho is New Speaker

THE Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic was inaugurated in the early hours of Monday, with Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, taking over as the new Speaker.

Mr Adjaho, who until his appointment was the First Deputy Speaker of the Fifth Parliament, replaced Justice Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo, who was the Speaker of the Fifth Parliament from 2009 to 2012.

By his elevation, Mr Adjaho has vacated his seat as a Member of Parliament in accordance with Article 97 (1) b which stipulates that “a Member shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he is officially sworn in as the Speaker of Parliament.”

The position of the First Deputy Speaker went to Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, the MP for Cape Coast North and outgone Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Minister of Justice.

The MP for Essikado Ketan and a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey was appointed as the Sond Deputy Speaker.

The Outgoing Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor replaced Mr Cletus Avorka as Majority Leader, while MP for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Kwame Agbesi took over from Wa Central MP, Alhaji Abdul Rashid Pelpuo as the Deputy Majority Leader.

While many believe Mr Adjaho’s selection for the position was based on merit and his experience in Parliamentary issues, others believe he lacked the fatherly figure attribute a speaker should have.

Mr Adjaho, a product of Accra Academy studied at the University of Ghana for the L.L.B. Degree in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Ghana School of Law, graduating in 1986 with a Barrister-at-Law.

He began his career at the Attorney-General’s Department before venturing into politics, standing on the ticket of the NDC, after the 1992 referendum that brought the Fourth Republic. He has retained the seat till date. 

He rose through the ranks becoming a Minority Chief Whip, Deputy Minority Leader, one time member of the Pan-African Parliament before attaining his current position as the First Deputy Speaker.

Mr Adjaho, a Christian and married with four children, and hails from Wlitey in the Volta Region.

Mr Adjaho’s elevation is the first time a in the Fourth republic that a Speaker has been selected from within the House.

Mr D.F Annan, Speaker for the First and Second parliaments, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes and Mrs Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo, Speakers of theTthird, Fourth and Fifth Parliaments had all been selected from outside Parliament.

Others on the front bench are Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka (Asawase), Majority Chief Whip, Hajia Mary Boforo (Savalugu), First Deputy Chief Whip and Sampson Ahi (Bodi) Second Deputy Chief Whip.

On the Manority front bench are Mr Ossei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader, Mr Dominic Nitiwul (Bimbilla), Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Dan Botwe (Okere) Minority Chief Whip Ms Irene Naa Torshie Addo (Tema West) and Mr Ignatius Baffuor Awuah,  (Sunyani West) as the minority deputy whips.

With the election of Mr Adjaho as the Fifth Speaker of the Fourth Republic, the Electoral Commission has to start preparations for the conduct of two bye-elections following the death of the Volta Regional Minister, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, who is also the NDC M- elect for Buem.

The Sixth Parliament the Fourth Republic is made up of 148 NDC MPs, 122 NPP MPs, four Independent MPs and one PNC MP.

However, until a bye-election is conducted in the Akatsi South Constituency, the NDC will have its number reduced by two as a result of the death of Mr Kamel and the elevation of Mr Adjaho to the Speakership position.

The new Parliament has 97 new MPs and 177 MPs, including Mr Adjaho and excluding the late Mr Kamel, who were in the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

While the Fifth Parliament had 230 members, the Sixth Parliament is made up of 275 MPs as a result of the passage of the C.I 78.

SOURCE: Della Russel Ocloo, Daily Graphic, Mon Jan 7, 2013