Speakers of Ghana’s Parliament since independence
The Speaker of Parliament was first implemented in the then Gold Coast, during the colonial era under the Gold Coast Constitution Order in Council, 1950. Previous constitutions provided for the election of the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana.
The first speaker of the Parliament of Ghana was Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist who was Speaker of the National Assembly in 1951. He was at post till December 1957, a few months after Ghana gained independence from harsh British rule
Before Ghana’s independence in 1957, the Governor of Ghana presided over the legislative council. This changed in 1949 when Emmanuel Quist became the first African speaker.The Legislative Council elected Quist as its first speaker.
Article 101 of the Ghana 1992Constitution states that the Speaker shall presides at all sittings of parliament. Where the speaker is not able to do so, one of the two deputies presides. No parliamentary business can take place without the speaker in the chair.
- Below is the list of Speakers of Ghana’s Parliament and their dates of tenure of office since independence
First – Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist, 6th March 1957 – 14th Nov. 1957
Second – Rt Hon Augustus Akiwumi 1958 – 1960
Third – Rt Hon Joseph Asiedu 1960 – 1965
Fourth – Rt Hon Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta 1965 – 1966
Fifth – Rt Hon Nii Amaa Ollenu 1969 – 1972
Sixth – Rt Hon Jacob Griffiths-Randolph 1979 – 1981
Seventh – Rt Hon Daniel Francis Annan 1993 – 2001
Eighth – Rt Hon Peter Ala Adjetey 2001 – 2005
Ninth – Rt Hon Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes 2005 – 2009
Tenth – Rt Hon Joyce Bamford-Addo 2009 – 2013
Eleventh – Rt Hon Edward Adjaho 2013 – 2017
Twelfth – Rt Hon Aaron Mike Oquaye 2017 – 2021
Thirteenth – Rt Hon Alban Kingsford Bagbin 2021 up to date
Under the fourth republic, the longest serving speaker of parliament is Daniel Francis Annan who served from 7 January 1993 to 6 January 2001. In January 2009, Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo became the first female speaker of the Ghanaian parliament.