'I am grateful for this great honour' – Bagbin accepts role as Speaker of Ghana's 9th Parliament.

The Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, Alban Sumani Alban Bagbin has expressed sincere appreciation for the opportunity to remain in his role as Speaker for the 9th Parliament in the 4th Republic.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Bagbin extended his gratitude to the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, and to the National Democratic Congress leadership for their confidence in his candidacy.

He also thanked the members of the House for their continued trust in working with him and assured them that he would leverage his experience to guide the House in fulfilling its duties with both efficiency and dedication.

Read acceptance speech below

Your Ladyship, the Chief Justice, Justice Mrs. Gertrude Araba Esaba Sackey Torkornu, Honourable Members of Parliament-Elects, your Excellencies, members of the Diplomatic Corps present, our most revered spiritual and traditional leaders, distinguished invited guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is with great humility that I accept to serve the Republic of Ghana,  having had the same honour to be Speaker of the Eighth Parliament. 

I am grateful to the Almighty God for His grace and mercies for me to achieve this rare feat. To Him be all the praise and honour.

Honourable Members of Parliament-Elects, you have proposed in me to be Speaker and to head this Honourable House once more. I also express my gratitude to the President Elect, His Excellency John Brahmani Mahama, for the trust and confidence in my candidature, in consultation with the leadership of the great National Democratic Congress, to the Ninth Parliament, with my experience as the longest legislator of the House. I now come to the Ninth Parliament with the experience of four years of speakership of a very difficult-hung Parliament.

I promise to bring all these experiences to bear, in guiding this House to perform its mandate with efficiency, diligence, and above all, with a sense of being, the bulwark of democracy in Ghana. To the good people of Ghana, who continue to hope for a better Ghana, I urge you to support your Parliament and be interested and engaged with the work of Parliament. 

As the Standing Orders of Parliament directs, after we have performed this duty of electing me as the Speaker of Parliament, I will have a singular honour and duty posed by the Standing Orders of the House, that is, to swear in the members-elect, and proceed to supervise the election of two Deputy Speakers of the House.

Once again, I am very grateful for this great honour, and thank you so much.