Andrew Amoako Asiamah, independent MP for Fomena and Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, took the Speaker seat for the first time on Friday, January 22, during a plenary session of the house.
He took the seat at a time lawmakers were paying tribute to former President Jerry John Rawlings. Speaker Bagbin announced in the middle of a submission by Buem MP Kofi Adams that the Second Deputy Speaker was going to take the seat.
“Honourable members, Second Deputy Speaker to take the chair,” the announcement was met with “yeah, yeah,” from members. He returned a bow from the Speaker before taking his seat and signaling for Mr Adams to continue his submission.
The sit-in Speaker then called on deputy Majority leader Alex Afenyo-Markins to make the next submission on the passing of the former president. Bagbin later returned to resume his seat.
Asiamah’s decision to work with the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, gave the party the ‘majority’ caucus in parliament. The opposition NDC got 137 seats as many as the NPP after the 2020 polls. The Second Deputy Speaker is the sole independent candidate in the 275-seat house.
The speakership election of January 7 produced Alban Bagbin as Speaker and Joe Osei Owusu of the NPP as First Deputy Speaker. The Speaker is the leader of the house and is deputed by the two deputies.
Watch the change of Speakers from 2 hours 27 minutes point
