# Parliament of Ghana

The Parliament of Ghana is the unicameral legislature of Ghana. It consists of 276 members, who are elected for four-year terms in single-seat constituencies using a first-past-the-post voting system.

## History

Legislative representation in Ghana dates back to 1850, when the country was a British colony known as Gold Coast. The body called the Legislative Council, was purely advisory as the Governor exercised all legislative and executive powers. Reforms were introduced in 1916 and 1925, although the governor's power remained extensive. In 1946, a new constitution was introduced that allowed for an unofficial member of the Legislative Council to become its president while the governor ceased to be the ex officio president of the body. This system continued until 1951 when the Legislature elected its first Speaker - Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist.
1951 was also the first year that elections based on universal suffrage was held. The Convention People's Party (CPP), formed in 1949 and led by Kwame Nkrumah won the election that was held. Another party called the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) led by J.B. Danquah performed poorly and was disbanded soon after. Nkrumah, who had been jailed in early 1950 for subversion, was released and appointed Leader of Government Business, becoming the country's first Prime Minister in the following year.
Legislative Assembly elections held in 1954 resulted in another CPP victory, with the party winning 71 out of a total of 104 seats. It also won 71 out of 104 seats in the 1956 Legislative Assembly election. The Gold Coast was renamed to Ghana and granted independence on Wednesday, 6 March 1957, while retaining the British monarch as head of state. The Legislative Assembly was renamed National Assembly.
After the approval of a new Republican constitution, Ghana officially became a republic on 1 July 1960 with Kwame Nkrumah as its President. The plebiscite was taken as a fresh mandate from the people and the terms of National Assembly members were extended for another five years. A one-party state was introduced following a referendum in 1964. As a result, only CPP candidates stood in the National Assembly Election held in 1965. Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966 by the military, which banned political parties and dissolved the National Assembly.
The country returned to civilian rule in 1969. Elections held on 29 August same year resulted in victory for the Progress Party (PP) of Kofi Abrefa Busia, which won 105 of the National Assembly's 140 seats. He took office as Prime Minister on 3 September 1969. His government was toppled in a 1972 military coup.
During the Third Republic, which lasted from 1979 to 1981, the dominant party in the National Assembly was the People's National Party (PNP), led by Hilla Limann, which won 71 out of 104 seats in elections held on 18 June 1979. After the military intervened in 1981, all elected institutions were dissolved and political party activity was prohibited.
Parliament of the Fourth Republic
After 11 years of military rule, a new constitution was approved in a 1992 referendum. Presidential elections were held in November and were won by Jerry Rawlings, leader of the 1981 coup and subsequent military ruler. The opposition contested the results and boycotted the December parliamentary elections. As a result, Rawlings' National Democratic Congress (NDC) won 189 out of 200 seats in Parliament.
All parties participated in the 1996 parliamentary elections. The NDC won 133 out of a total of 200 seats, while the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) won 60. Two smaller political party groups won the remaining seats.
The 2000 elections were significant in the sense that, President Rawlings was constitutionally barred from seeking another term. In the presidential poll, John Kufuor of the NPP defeated the NDC candidate John Atta Mills in a run-off election. In the 200-seat Parliament, the NPP won 100, followed by the NDC's 92. Smaller political party groups and independent candidates won the remaining seats.
Kufuor was re-elected in 2004 and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won 128 out of 230 seats in the concurrent parliamentary election. The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) won 94, while two other parties - The People's National Convention (PNC) and Convention People's Party (CPP) - won 4 and 3 seats respectively. Independent candidates captured the remaining seat.
The simple majority (or First Past the Post) voting system is used in Ghana's parliamentary elections. Since 2012, the country is divided into 275 single-member constituencies. Members serve four-year terms.

### Leadership structure

* Speaker - The Speaker presides over the Parliament and enforces observance of all rules that govern its conduct. After a general election, the majority party in Parliament in consultation with other parties nominates a Speaker.
The Speaker cannot be a Member of Parliament though they must possess the qualifications to stand for elections as a Member of Parliament, such person on appointment as Speaker must resign and declare the seat occupied in Parliament as vacant. The Speaker is assisted by two Deputy Speakers (First and Second Deputy Speakers), who are elected at the commencement of every Parliament. They must come from different political parties. The current Speaker is Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin.
* First Deputy Speaker - The First Deputy Speaker presides over the sittings of Parliament whenever the Speaker is absent. The current First Deputy Speaker is Hon. Bernard Ahiafor of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
* Second Deputy Speaker - The Second Deputy Speaker presides over the sittings of Parliament in the absence of the Speaker and the First Deputy Speaker. The current Second Deputy Speaker is Andrew Amoako Asiamah an independent candidate.
* Majority Leader - The Majority Leader is appointed from the party with a majority of parliamentary seats. A deputy majority leader and a majority chief whip assist him, constituting the majority leadership of Parliament. The current Majority Leader is Mahama Ayariga - of the NDC.
* Deputy Majority Leader- A deputy majority leader and a chief whip assist him, constituting the Majority leadership of Parliament. The current Deputy Majority Leader is Kweku George Ricketts Hagan of the NDC.
* Minority Leader - The Minority leader is elected from the second largest party in Parliament. A deputy minority leader and a chief whip assist him, constituting the minority leadership of Parliament. The current Minority Leader is Alexander Afenyo-Markin of the NPP.
* Deputy Minority Leader - A deputy minority leader and a chief whip assist him, constituting the minority leadership of Parliament. The current Deputy Minority Leader is Patricia Appiagyei of the NPP.

### 2020 elections

The distribution of seats among the parties following the 2020 general election is as follows.

### Composition of Parliament after the 2018 Ghanaian new regions referendum

| Region | NPP | NDC | Ind. | Total |
| Ahafo | 4 | 2 | - | 6 |
| Ashanti | 42 | 4 | 1 | 47 |
| Bono | 6 | 6 | - | 12 |
| Bono East | 3 | 8 | - | 11 |
| Central | 10 | 13 | - | 23 |
| Eastern | 25 | 8 | - | 33 |
| Greater Accra | 14 | 20 | - | 34 |
| Northern | 9 | 9 | - | 18 |
| North East | 4 | 2 | - | 6 |
| Oti | - | 8 | - | 8 |
| Savannah | 3 | 4 | - | 7 |
| Upper East | 1 | 14 | - | 15 |
| Upper West | 3 | 8 | - | 11 |
| Volta | 1 | 17 | - | 18 |
| Western | 9 | 8 | - | 17 |
| Western North | 3 | 6 | - | 9 |
| Total | 137 | 137 | 1 | 275 |

## Committees of Parliament

As at November 2020, the Parliament had fourteen Standing Committees and sixteen Select Committees. There was also one ad hoc committee.
* Select Committees:
* Communications • Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs • Defence and Interior • Education • Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises Environment, Science and Technology • Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs • Foreign Affairs • Health • Lands and Forestry • Local Government and Rural Development Mines and Energy • Roads and Transport • Standing Orders • Trade, Industry and Tourism • Works and Housing • Youth, Sports and Culture
Ad-hoc Committee: Poverty Reduction Strategy committee

## Past Speakers of the National Assembly/Parliament
### Gold Coast (1951 – 1957)

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and National Assembly in 1957
| Name | Took office | Left office | Notes |
| Emmanuel Charles Quist | March 1951 | December 1957 | |

### Independent State within the Commonwealth (1957 – 1960) / First Republic (1960 – 1966)

Green: National Democratic Congress (NDC) Blue: New Patriotic Party (NPP) Yellow: People's National Convention (PNC) Red: Convention People's Party (CPP)
Speakers of the National Assembly
| Name | Took office | Left office |
| Augustus Molade Akiwumi | February 1958 | June 1960 |
| Joseph Richard Asiedu | July 1960 | June 1965 |
| Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta | 10 June 1965 | 24 February 1966 |

### Second Republic (1969 – 1972)

Speaker of the National Assembly
| Name | Took office | Left office | Notes |
| Nii Amaa Ollennu | October 1969 | 13 January 1972 | |

### Third Republic (1979 – 1981)

Speaker of the National Assembly
| Name | Took office | Left office | Notes |
| Jacob Hackenbug Griffiths-Randolph | 24 September 1979 | 31 December 1981 | |

### Fourth Republic (1992 – present)

Speakers of Parliament
| Name | Took office | Left office |
| Daniel Francis Annan | 7 January 1993 | 6 January 2001 |
| Peter Ala Adjetey | 7 January 2001 | 6 January 2005 |
| Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes | 7 January 2005 | 6 January 2009 |
| Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo | 7 January 2009 | 6 January 2013 |
| Edward Adjaho | 7 January 2013 | 6 January 2017 |
| Aaron Mike Oquaye | 7 January 2017 | 6 January 2021 |
| Alban Sumani Bagbin | 7 January 2021 | Incumbent |

## Members of parliament

* For a list of current members, see List of MPs elected in the 2020 Ghanaian general election.
The composition of the Parliament has changed over the years. There were 140 members in both the Second and the Third Republic parliaments.
* 2nd Republic parliament: 1969 — 1972
* 3rd Republic parliament: 1979 — 1981
In the current Fourth Republic, the number of MPs first increased to 200 and subsequently to 275. There have been 8 parliaments so far in the Fourth Republic. The list of its members are below.
* 1st parliament: 1993 — 1997
* 2nd parliament: 1997 — 2001
* 3rd parliament: 2001 — 2005
* 4th parliament: 2005 — 2009
* 5th parliament: 2009 — 2013
* 6th parliament: 2013 — 2017
* 7th parliament: 2017 — 2021
* 8th parliament: 2021 — 2025
* 9th parliament 2025 — present

## Parliamentary constituencies

Parliamentary Constituencies of Ghana :
vteConstituencies in AshantiNPP
Adansi-Asokwa
Afigya Kwabre North
Afigya Kwabre South
Afigya Sekyere East
Ahafo Ano South East
Ahafo Ano South West
Asante-Akim Central
Asante-Akim North
Asante-Akim South
Asokwa
Atwima-Kwanwoma
Atwima-Mponua
Atwima-Nwabiagya North
Atwima-Nwabiagya South
Bantama
Bekwai
Bosome-Freho
Bosomtwe
Effiduase-Asokore
Ejisu
Ejura-Sekyedumase
Fomena
Juaben
Kumawu
Kwabre East
Kwadaso
Mampong North
Mampong South
Manso-Adubia
Manso-Nkwanta
Manhyia North
Manhyia South
Nhyiaeso
Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo
Obuasi East
Obuasi West
Odotobri
Offinso North
Offinso South
Oforikrom
Old Tafo
Suame
Subin
NDC
Ahafo Ano North
Asawase
New Edubease
Sekyere Afram Plain
NPP (43)
NDC (4)
vteConstituencies in the Brong-Ahafo Region of GhanaNDC
Atebubu-Amantin
Jaman North
Kintampo North
Kintampo South
Pru
Sene
Tain
Techiman South
NPP
Asunafo North
Asunafo South
Asutifi North
Berekum
Dormaa East
Dormaa West
Jaman South
Nkoranza North
Nkoranza South
Sunyani East
Sunyani West
Tano North
Tano South
Techiman North
Wenchi
Awaiting election
Asutifi South
NDC (8)
NPP (15)
vteConstituencies in the Central Region of GhanaNDC
Abura-Asebu
Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam
Awutu-Senya
Cape Coast
Effutu
Gomoa East
Gomoa West
Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem
Mfantseman-East
Mfantseman-West
Twifo-Atii Morkwaa
NPP
Agona East
Agona West
Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa
Assin North
Assin South
Hemang Lower Denkyira
Upper Denkyira East
Upper Denkyira West
NDC (11)
NPP (8)
vteConstituencies in the Eastern Region of GhanaNDC
Afram Plains North
Afram Plains South
Asuogyaman
Lower Manya
Upper Manya
Upper West Akim
Yilo Krobo
NPP
Abetifi
Abirem
Abuakwa North
Abuakwa South
Aburi-Nsawam
Akropong
Akim Oda
Akim Swedru
Akwatia
Atiwa
Ayensuano
Fanteakwa
Kade
Lower West Akim
Mpraeso
New Juaben North
New Juaben South
Ofoase-Ayirebi
Okere
Suhum
Independent
Nkawkaw
NDC (7)
NPP (20)
Independent (1)
vteConstituencies in the Greater Accra Region of GhanaNDC
Ablekuma Central
Ablekuma South
Abokobi-Madina
Ada
Adenta
Ashaiman
Ayawaso East
Dade Kotopon
Domeabra-Obom
Korle Klottey
Krowor
Kpone-Katamanso
Ledzokuku
Ningo-Prampram
Odododiodio
Sege
Shai-Osudoku
Trobu-Amasaman
NPP
Ablekuma North
Ayawaso Central
Ayawaso West
Dome-Kwabenya
Okaikwei North
Okaikwei South
Tema East
Tema West
Weija
NDC (18)
NPP (9)
vteConstituencies in the Northern Region of GhanaIndependent
Wulensi
NDC
Bole
Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo
Chereponi
Damango-Daboya
Gushiegu
Karaga
Kpandai
Kumbungu
Mion
Nalerigu
Saboba
Salaga
Savelugu
Sawla-Tuna-Kalba
Tamale Central
Tamale North
Tamale South
Tolon
Walewale
Yagaba-Kubori
Yapei-Kusawgu
Yendi
NPP
Bimbilla
Nanton
Zabzugu-Tatale
Independent (1)
NDC (21)
NPP (4)
vteConstituencies in the Upper East Region of GhanaNDC
Bawku Central
Binduri
Bolgatanga Central
Bolgatanga East
Bongo
Builsa North
Chiana-Paga
Garu
Nabdam
Navrongo Central
Pusiga
Talensi
Tempane
Zebilla
NPP
PNC
Builsa South
NDC (14)
NPP (0)
PNC (1)
vteConstituencies in the Upper West Region of GhanaNDC
Daffiama-Bussie-Issa
Lambussie
Lawra
Nadowli Kaleo
Sissala East
Sissala West
Wa Central
Wa East
Wa West
Independent
Jirapa
NDC (9)
Independent (1)
vteConstituencies in VoltaNDC
Adaklu
Afadjato South
Agotime-Ziope
Akatsi North
Akatsi South
Anlo
Central Tongu
Ho Central
Ho West
Hohoe South
Keta
Ketu North
Ketu South
Kpando
North Dayi
North Tongu
South Dayi
South Tongu
NDC (18)
vteConstituencies in the Western Region of GhanaNDC
Amenfi Central
Amenfi West
Aowin
Bia
Ellembelle
Juabeso
Prestea-Huni Valley
Sefwi Akontombra
Sefwi-Wiawso
Shama
Suaman
NPP
Ahanta West
Amenfi East
Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai
Effia-Kwesimintsim
Essikado-Ketan
Evalue Gwira
Mpohor-Wassa East
Sekondi
Takoradi
Tarkwa-Nsuaem
CPP
Jomoro
NDC (11)
NPP (10)
CPP (1) :