Claim: Chairman of the NDC is a member of the Parliamentary Service Board

Source: Vincent Ekow Assafuah, MP for Old Tafo

Verdict: False

Researched by Samuel Nii Adjetey 

Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has claimed that the chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, is a member of the Parliamentary Service Board.

Assafuah made the claim while speaking on JoyNews’ Pulse programme on Thursday, April 24, 2025. He was discussing a petition he filed at the Supreme Court challenging the recent suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.

“We had cause to have the current chairman of the NDC, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Service Committee (Board), to say that the Chief Justice and the Electoral Commission ought to resign (by) themselves and to him, if there is a removal of the Chief Justice and the Electoral Commission commissioner, he will support it. This is something that I also attached to my supplementary affidavit last two days at the Supreme Court,” he said. [16:40 – 17:05]

This fact-check will verify the accuracy of the claim.

Fact-check

GhanaFact reviewed official records and credible reports regarding the composition of the current Parliamentary Service Board.

On March 17, 2025, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, inaugurated the 9th Parliamentary Service Board which did not include the NDC chairman. In a Facebook post on the official page of the Parliament of Ghana, and corroborated by multiple media reports, the Board’s membership is as follows:

  • Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin – Speaker of Parliament (Chairman)
  • Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror – Clerk to Parliament
  • Mahama Ayariga – MP for Bawku Central and Majority Leader
  • Alexander Afenyo-Markin – MP for Effutu and Minority Leader
  • Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-Tay – Former MP for Afadjato South
  • Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah – Former MP for New Juaben South
  • Hon. Bernard Ahiafor – MP for Akatsi South (Co-opted Member)
  • Hon. Andrew Asiamah Amoako – MP for Fomena and Second Deputy Speaker (Co-opted Member)

Notably, the current National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, is not listed among the members of the 9th Parliamentary Service Board. 

A screengrab of the post on the inauguration of the 9th Parliamentary Service Committee 

During the inauguration, Speaker Bagbin emphasized the Board’s critical role, stating:

“The Board’s pivotal role is to strengthen institutional integrity and foster a legislative environment anchored in public trust and democratic principles.”

In 2021, Asiedu Nketiah was appointed as a member of the 8th Parliamentary Service Board, but he is not part of the current 9th Board inaugurated in 2025.

When GhanaFact contacted the MP via WhatsApp and shared our findings, he replied: “He was at least.” 

Verdict:

The claim is therefore rated False!

What is the Parliamentary Service Board?

The Parliamentary Service Board, established through the Parliamentary Service Act, 1993 (Act 460) is the highest decision-making body of the Parliamentary Service, responsible for advising and ensuring the effective administration and management of Parliament. 

It is chaired by the Speaker of Parliament and includes selected Members of Parliament and other appointed members who help oversee parliamentary operations and staff welfare.