B T Baba makes debut entry into Parliament

Mr Benson Tongo Baba, a former Deputy Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service, and newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Talensi, on Tuesday made a debut entrance into Parliament, and sworn-in as the MP for the area.

He took the oath of Member of Parliament and Oath of Secrecy, administered by the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Korbly Doe Adjaho.

Mr Baba was immediately ushered to his seat by the clerk of the House.

Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Deputy Minority Chief Whip, on behalf of the Minority congratulated Mr Baba, who is also a former chairman of the Ghana Olympic Committee, urging him to be neutral in carrying out his work.

He encouraged him to work extra hard especially if he would have to seek re-election.

Majority Leader Alban Sumana Bagbin, who was in Talensi to campaign for Mr Baba, said the new MP has distinguished himself in public life and him not to disappoint his constituents.

Mr Bagbin however condemned the violence that characterised the by-election in Talensi that saw Mr Baba winning.

The Speaker also welcomed Mr Baba, charging him that the work of Parliament is not only in the chamber but also at the committee level, and advised him to be diligent in his work and show readiness to serve all and not only those who voted for him.

There was a large delegation of chiefs and people of Talensi to support the new MP and to grace the swearing in.

There were also officers of the Ghana Prisons Service in the chamber.

The bye-election which Mr Baba won, became necessary because of the resignation of New Patriotic Party’s Robert Nachinab Mosore, who has ascended the paramountcy of the Tongo traditional area.

Mr Baba, a former senior prisons officer, emerged victorious in the by-election after polling 10,366 of the total valid votes.

His closest rival, Thomas Duanab Wuni of the opposition New Patriotic Party garnered 6,845 votes.