Since Ghana returned to constitutional rule on January 7, 1993, seven individuals have served as Speakers of Parliament, with the current Speaker, Alban Bagbin, becoming the latest to occupy the position.

The Speaker is the first officer of Parliament and ranks third in Ghana’s official order of precedence, after the President and Vice President.

The Fourth Republic began after the adoption of the 1992 Constitution, ending more than a decade of military rule.

Parliament has since evolved through nine successive Parliaments, with the number of parliamentary seats also increasing from 200 in 1993 to 275 from 2013 onwards.

Here are the seven Speakers who have presided over Parliament during the Fourth Republic.

1. Daniel Francis Kweipe Annan

Justice Daniel Francis Kweipe Annan became the first Speaker of Parliament when the Fourth Republic commenced in January 1993.

He served as Speaker through the First and Second Parliaments of the Fourth Republic, remaining in the position until January 2001.

His tenure covered the formative years of Ghana’s Fourth Republican parliamentary democracy.

In a speech on Parliament’s early years, Annan described the structures established for the First Parliament, including the Speaker and two Deputy Speakers, Majority and Minority Leaders, and parliamentary committees.

Parliament continues to recognise him as the first Speaker of the Fourth Republic.

2. Peter Ala Adjetey

Peter Ala Adjetey succeeded Annan in January 2001 and became Speaker of the Third Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

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His tenure lasted until January 2005.

Adjetey assumed the position as Ghana entered its third Parliament under the Fourth Republic, following the 2000 general election and the change of government from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led by President John Agyekum Kufuor.

3. Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes

Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes became Speaker in January 2005, succeeding Adjetey.

He presided over the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic and remained in office until January 2009.

His tenure coincided with another important stage in the development of Parliament, as the number of parliamentary seats had increased from the original 200 to 230 in January 2005.

4. Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo

Justice Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo made history in January 2009 when she became Speaker of Parliament.

She served during the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, from January 2009 to January 2013.

Bamford-Addo was the first woman to become Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, making her appointment a significant milestone in the history of the country's legislature.

Her tenure followed the 2008 general election, which brought the National Democratic Congress back into government under President John Evans Atta Mills.

5. Edward Doe Adjaho

Edward Doe Adjaho became Speaker in January 2013, succeeding Bamford-Addo.

He presided over the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic until January 2017.

Adjaho's tenure began at a time when Ghana's Parliament had expanded to 275 seats. The increase from 230 to 275 took effect in January 2013.

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He became the fifth person to serve as Speaker since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

6. Aaron Mike Oquaye

Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye became Speaker in January 2017 following the 2016 general election.

He presided over the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic and served until January 2021.

Oquaye's tenure was notable for taking place during a period when the New Patriotic Party held the parliamentary majority under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He was succeeded by Alban Bagbin after the 2020 general election.

7. Alban Bagbin

Alban Bagbin was elected Speaker in January 2021, succeeding Oquaye.

His election was notable because he presided over the 8th Parliament when the NPP was in government and Parliament was evenly divided between the NPP and NDC, making it Ghana’s first hung Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

He continued in the position when the Ninth Parliament was inaugurated in January 2025.

He is currently the Speaker of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. Parliament's official website identifies him as the incumbent Speaker.

Bagbin is therefore the only person among the seven Speakers of the Fourth Republic to have served as Speaker across two Parliaments since Annan's tenure.

Seven Speakers in 33 years

From Daniel Annan in 1993 to Alban Bagbin today, seven individuals have occupied the Speaker's chair during Ghana's Fourth Republic.

The succession has included six men and one woman, with Bamford-Addo becoming the first female Speaker in 2009.

The Speakers have also presided over a Parliament that has grown considerably since 1993. The legislature began the Fourth Republic with 200 seats, increased to 230 in 2005 and later to 275 in 2013.

As Ghana continues its Fourth Republican journey, Bagbin remains the seventh person to serve as Speaker since the restoration of constitutional rule in 1993.

MRA/VPO

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