Baba Jamah
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban S. K. Bagbin, has sworn in Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed as the new Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso East Constituency following his victory in the parliamentary by-election held on March 3, 2026.
He was made to swear an Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of a Member of Parliament in accordance with Order 13 Rule 1 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
After the swearing-in ceremony, Speaker Bagbin reminded the new legislator of the responsibility entrusted to him by the electorate and urged him to serve the people of Ayawaso East diligently.
“You voluntarily offered yourself to serve the good people of Ayawaso East Constituency, and they have elected you to represent them as their Member of Parliament. I will hold you accountable to the people you represent,” the Speaker said.
Mr. Bagbin further encouraged the lawmaker to familiarise himself with the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the revised Standing Orders of Parliament, which came into effect on January 2, 2024.
“These are the revised Standing Orders. Please take note of them, read them carefully and ensure that you abide by them,” the Speaker added while presenting copies of the Constitution and the parliamentary rules to the new MP.
The Speaker also indicated that Baba Jamah’s election has triggered renewed parliamentary attention on the conduct of elections, revealing that a Private Member’s Bill is being proposed to amend the Criminal and Other Offences Act to address acts and conduct that come up during the by-elections and political party primaries.
According to official results from the Electoral Commission, Baba Jamah secured 10,884 out of 16,928 valid votes to win the by-election.
Following the swearing-in ceremony, the First Deputy Minority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, welcomed the new MP but used the opportunity to criticise the National Democratic Congress (NDC), claiming the by-election results reflected declining popularity for the party in the constituency.
He argued that the NDC had secured about 22,000 votes in the 2024 general election but managed just over 10,000 votes in the by-election, which he said indicated growing public dissatisfaction.
Habib Iddrisu also pointed to internal divisions within the NDC over Baba Jamah’s candidature, referencing a letter signed by some members of the Majority opposing his participation in the party’s primaries.
Despite the criticism, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga warmly welcomed the new MP, describing him as an experienced legislator whose presence would strengthen the Majority caucus.
Mr. Ayariga noted that Baba Jamah was not new to Parliament and had previously served in the House, adding that his legal background and experience in party leadership would enhance the legislative work of the Majority side.
He expressed confidence that the new MP’s return to Parliament would reinforce the Majority’s capacity to advance its legislative agenda and contribute meaningfully to debates in the House.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House