Fifth Ghana's parliament dissolves

Joycelyn Bamford Addo, Ghana parliament speake...

flickr-Third World Conf...

The Fifth Parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana dissolves ahead of the newly-elected members being sworn-in to the Sixth Parliament on January 7. 

The parliament began registering all the new members already on January 3 to enable them furnish the House with their personal details. The move is aimed at gathering primary data on those who will constitute the next parliament. 

The 274 member of parliament will include 97 new entrants and 177 members from the Fourth parliament. The supposed 275th member, the Volta Regional Minister Henry Ford Kamel, passed away in early January. His replacement is expected to be chosen in a by-election. 

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will dominate the House with 148 seats, with the opposition New Patriotic Party occupying 122 seats. Four independents are also expected to join the House.

Speculations have been circulating about whether Joycelyn Bamford-Addo, the first woman to become Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, will attempt to maintain her position. Bamford-Addo has been celebrated for her spectacular contribution to the promotion of democracy in Ghana.