Ghana’s 9th Parliament was officially inaugurated on January 7, 2025, marking the beginning of a new legislative session. The event, held in the early hours of Tuesday, January 7 at Parliament House in Accra, followed the dissolution of the 8th Parliament at midnight.
Ahead of the inauguration of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who was re-elected as Speaker of Parliament, was sworn into office by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Bagbin, having served as Speaker of the 8th Parliament, was re-nominated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and received overwhelming support from Members of Parliament.
His re-election as Speaker symbolizes a key moment in Ghana’s democratic development, as he continues to provide experienced leadership for the House.
After his swearing-in, Speaker Bagbin presided over the oath-taking ceremony for the 275 Members of Parliament-elect, excluding the representative from the Ablekuma North constituency. The ceremony was attended by family, friends, and dignitaries, marking the start of a new legislative era.
However, the inauguration was clouded by a legal issue involving the Akwatia parliamentary seat. The Koforidua High Court on Monday, January 6, upheld an injunction that prevented Ernest Kumi, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate for Akwatia, from being sworn in as the Member of Parliament-elect. The injunction also barred the Clerk of Parliament from administering his oath.
The legal challenge stemmed from a petition filed by Henry Boakye Yiadom, the NDC candidate for Akwatia, who raised concerns over alleged irregularities during the December 7, 2024, elections. On January 2, 2025, the court issued the injunction, halting Kumi’s swearing-in.
NPP lawyer Gary Nimako Marfo argued that the injunction was improperly filed, claiming that election results can only be contested within 21 days of being gazetted. Despite this, the court upheld the injunction, and the matter remains under further legal review.
Following the court’s ruling, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin indicated that Ernest Kumi was prepared to face the legal consequences of participating in the swearing-in and the election of the Speaker.
However, Clerk of Parliament Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror stressed that allowing Kumi to participate in the ceremony would violate the court’s order.
