The Speaker
The Speaker is the first officer of the House. He/she is one of the three highest officers of the State, ranking third in the official order of precedence after the President and the Vice President. The office of the Speaker was first created in the then Gold Coast, under the Gold Coast (Constitution) Order in Council, 1950. Since then all Constitutions of the land have provided for the election of the Speaker of the Legislature.
The Fourth Republic Constitution provides that the Speaker shall preside in Parliament at all Sittings and in his/her absence, a Deputy Speaker. In the discharge of his/her numerous responsibilities and in the exercise of the powers vested in him/her, the Speaker is expected to be impartial and does not take part in debate on the floor of the House. Behind the scenes, he/she exercises considerable influence in forging consensus on major issues, while fairly and firmly enforcing order and consistently applying the established practices of the House.
As head of the Parliamentary Institution and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Service
Board, the Speaker has ultimate responsibility for the Service. Article 101 of the Ghana Constitution stipulates that the Speaker presides at all sittings of parliament. Where the speaker is not able to do so, one of the two deputies presides.
The Speaker of the House is responsible for administering the oath of office to the Members of the parliamentarians. House of Representatives, giving Members permission to speak on the House floor, designating Members to serve as Speaker pro tempore, counting and declaring all votes, appointing Members to committees, sending bills. No parliamentary business can take place without the speaker in the chair.
The Deputy Speaker
The deputy speaker presides over the House in the absence of the speaker. A majority of the members of the House of Representatives elects the Speaker.
The Clerk
The clerk is the principal advisor to the Speaker and Members on matters of privilege, practice and procedure, as head of the Parliamentary