Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has revealed that he turned down an offer from President John Dramani Mahama to chair the Board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), citing concerns over propriety and potential conflict of interest.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, June 16, Speaker Bagbin said the role would have placed him under the direct supervision of a minister, a position he believes undermines the independence and dignity of the Speakership.
“I rejected it because I think it’s not proper to go and chair the board, submit reports under the supervision of a minister. The Speaker is now under a minister, and the report will come to the House, and the House will now be presided over by the minister, the Speaker,” he stated.
The Speaker emphasized that lawmakers—particularly those in leadership positions—should not serve on executive boards, warning that such dual roles blur the lines between oversight and execution, which are fundamental to democratic accountability.
“You cannot go and chair the boards, the corporations, work over there, submit reports through the minister, and the minister submits the report to Parliament. Then you come and preside over those reports and approve or disapprove. Please, issues of conflict of interest and prejudice arise,” he warned.
Recalling a similar decision in 2009, Bagbin said he also declined an offer to become Minister for Parliamentary Affairs while serving as Majority Leader, citing the inherent contradiction in being subject to executive directives while leading the legislative arm of government.
“This was because I could not see the authority of a Majority Leader, the leader of the House, as a minister to be under the dictates and directives of the Executive,” he explained. “So, I have always argued against the Majority Leader, the leader of the House, being a Minister of State.”
The Speaker’s firm stance reignites longstanding debates over the separation of powers and the appropriate roles of parliamentarians in state governance structures.
“People disagreed with me, and they continued. Today, I was offered to be Chair of the National Health Insurance Authority. As you all know, Speakers chair it. I rejected it,” he reiterated.
Bagbin’s comments serve as both a caution and a call for reflection, urging fellow lawmakers to consider the constitutional and ethical implications of their appointments beyond the legislature.
