Edward Doe Adjaho chairs Council of State

A former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho has been elected as the Chairman of the Council of State.

He was elected by members of the Council in accordance with Article 89 (3) of the 1992 Constitution which states that, “The Council of State shall elect a chairman from among its members.”

Mr Adjaho is one of eleven members nominated by President Mahama to the Council. He served as Speaker of Parliament under President Mahama’s first term as Head of State between 2013 and 2017.

His election took place after President Mahama swore the 31-member Council into office on February 18.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Mr Adjaho assured President Mahama of their dedication to the task ahead.

“I want to assure you on behalf of the Council that we will work as a team. We will support you in the governance structure, in the discharge of our constitutional and statutory responsibilities. It is true many have questioned the relevance of the Council of state as you rightly pointed out. Some have even called for its abolishing, but we want to assure you that this Council will be a Council with a difference,” he stated.

“We are aware that the country is going through challenges. In the discharge of our duties, we shall give you the necessry advice so you can weather the storm. The 11 members you appointed to the Council, we shall not fail you, and Ghana will succeed,” Mr Adjaho further assured.

Profile

Edward Korbly Doe Adjaho, MP (born 3 January 1957) is a Ghanaian politician and lawyer who was Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 2013 to 2017. He is the fifth Speaker elected in the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the first Speaker to have been elected from amongst members of Ghana’s parliament in the Fourth Republic.

Following his elevation to the position of Speaker, he resigned his position as Member of Parliament for the Avenor-Ave constituency in the Parliament of Ghana.

He was one of the few politicians who retained their seats in parliament throughout the Fourth Republic of Ghana serving for 20 years from 1993 to 2013. He was also a member of the Pan-African Parliament.

He studied at the Accra Academy for his secondary school education and continued his education at the University of Ghana, where he obtained the Bachelor of Law degree, LL.B. in 1984. ^{He enrolled at the Ghana School of Law, where he trained to become a barrister-at-law and was called to the bar in 1986. He worked at the Attorney-General’s department before turning to politics.}

He was a member of parliament of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th parliament of the Republic of Ghana. He was the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament from 2009 to 2013.

Adjaho is a Christian. He is married and has five children.

Convince ‘doubting Thomases’ about your relevance – Mahama tells Council of State members