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Baba Jamal sworn in as MP for Ayawaso Ekast, pledges service with dignity and integrity
Baba Jamal has officially been sworn in as the Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso East Constituency by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.
The swearing in ceremony took place in Parliament on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, with members of the House welcoming him as he took the oath of office and oath of allegiance to officially assume his role as a legislator.
His swearing in was met with loud cheers from sections of his constituents and loyal supporters who gathered in Parliament to witness the ceremony.
Speaking to the media after the swearing in ceremony, Baba Jamal expressed gratitude to Allah for guiding him through what he described as a very difficult political journey.
He explained that the path to Parliament had been challenging but he was grateful to everyone who stood by him during the process, including the Speaker of Parliament and members on both sides of the House who welcomed him warmly.
The new MP thanked the leadership of the National Democratic Congress, particularly the National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, for supporting him and taking time to attend the ceremony.
Baba Jamal further expressed appreciation to traditional leaders and chiefs from Ayawaso East who came to witness the occasion, stating that he would work closely with them to deliver improved services and development to the people in the constituency.
He acknowledged the support of the media, his legal advisors and well wishers who assisted him throughout the journey, noting that their encouragement played an important role in his success.
The MP expressed special gratitude to his wife and family for standing by him during what he described as a very difficult and stressful period, adding that he hoped such difficult moments would not repeat themselves as he now focuses on serving his constituents.
When asked what the public should expect from him in Parliament, Baba Jamal indicated that his service would be guided by dignity and integrity.
He explained that he was determined to prove critics wrong about issues that had been raised about him, stressing that he had done nothing wrong and had been cleared by a committee that looked into the matter.
According to him, his victory in the by election showed the confidence and trust the people of Ayawaso East had in him, a mandate he said would encourage him to continue serving the constituency and the country with dedication.
Many of them expressed excitement over his return to Parliament and his new mandate to represent the people of Ayawaso East.
With his induction into the House, Baba Jamal adds to the numbers of the National Democratic Congress in Parliament, increasing the party’s representation to 183 MPs and strengthening the majority side in the House.
Baba Jamal secured victory during the Ayawaso East by election held on March 3, 2026, after polling 10,884 votes to win the parliamentary seat convincingly.
His closest contender, Baba Ali Yusif of the New Patriotic Party, obtained 4,009 votes.
Independent candidate Mohammed Umar Sanda garnered 1,885 votes, while Ibrahim Iddrisu of the Liberal Party of Ghana secured 43 votes and David Kanor, also an independent candidate, polled 104 votes.
In total, 17,048 ballots were cast in the election, out of which 16,928 were valid votes and 120 were rejected ballots. The constituency has close to 50,000 registered voters.
The by election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of the sitting Member of Parliament for the area, Mahama Naser Toure, who passed away in January 2026 while receiving treatment at the hospital.
His death left the Ayawaso East parliamentary seat vacant, prompting the Electoral Commission of Ghana to organise the by election for a new representative to complete the remainder of the parliamentary term.
Before contesting the seat, Baba Jamal served as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.
He previously held other political positions, including serving as the Member of Parliament for Akwatia and also worked in diplomatic service representing Ghana abroad.
His victory in the by election marks his return to Parliament and places him in charge of continuing the legislative and development work for the people of Ayawaso East.
Medical Doctor and dietician, Dr Bernice Korkor Asare, has urged women to take greater responsibility for their lifestyle choices, particularly their eating habits and levels of physical activity, to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
According to her, although, some breast cancer risk factors, such as family history and certain reproductive factors, may not be within an individual’s control, lifestyle choices offer an opportunity for people to take preventive action.
She made this known during a talk on the topic: “Role of diet in breast cancer prevention” organised by Times Ladies Association of the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, in Accra on Thursday.
The event themed “Breast Cancer Awareness- Promoting Early Detection, Healthy Eating and Prevention.” 
She noted that having a risk factor did not automatically mean a person would develop breast cancer, but could increase the likelihood of developing the disease compared with someone without that particular risk factor.
“Having close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly a mother, sister or daughter, may increase the risk, although not everyone with a family history will develop the disease,” Dr Asare opined. Read More.
By Adizatu K. Munkaila
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A group of compassionate friends from Innovation Gospel Impact last Friday visited the management, teachers and learners of the Street Academy in Accra.
The visit was to interact to get a deeper insight into the operations of the Academy that houses hundreds of street and underprivileged children and find ways to support them.
The team was led by Rev. Dr Isaac Apenteng Yeboah, a former Director for West African Mailbox Club and Director for Prisons Support Foundation, and Rev. Dale Sutherland from Washington DC.
The call, according to the visitors was occasioned by reports about the struggles of the Academy despite the occasional support it enjoys from individuals and some corporate entities.
Briefing them, the Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, thanked them for the concern showed, indicating that “this is a major boost for both teachers and learners; knowing that their plight is known by people outside their premises.”
According Dr Lartey, the Academy had planned to undertake a number of project to enhance teaching and learning and also procure facilities for the children with keen interest in sports but had to shelve those plans for lack of finance.
He told the team that their biggest concerns were the monthly utility bills that takes a toll on their finances.
“We have a piece of land we planned to turn into an astro turf pitch to train the younger ones whose interests lies in making a career out of football, however, we have been unable to commence because there is no money now,” he said.
Dr Lartey expressed gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated their lives to training these children, rather than going for well-paying jobs and hoped that with time, their conditions of engagement would improve.
Moved by the plight of the Academy, the group donated a cash amount of Gh₵3,000 to settle its water bills.
They described as unfortunate the conditions of learners and teachers of the Academy and pledged to continuously support their operations to realize the dream to build a better future for the unfortunate children.
The group offered to support the school with its monthly utility bills, feeding and staff allowance and urged the Academy staff to remain in constant touch with them.
The Street Academy is located at the Accra Art Center and offers brilliant but needy the chance to pursue their educational dreams by enrolling them in public schools with others offered training in sports and cultural activities.
By Spectator Reporter
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