Ala Adjetey was third most powerful person for four years

Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, former Speaker of Parliament who passed away on Tuesday morning, was the third most powerful person in Ghana for four years between January 7, 2001 and January 7, 2005.
As the first officer of the House, he acted on one occasion as President of the Republic when President John Agyekum Kufuor and Alhaji Aliu Mahama were out of the country.

The Office of Speaker was first created in Ghana, then the Gold Coast, in 1949 when the Governor ceased to be ex-officio President of the Legislative Council.

The Speaker ranks third in the official order of precedence after the President and Vice-President.

The following have held the Office of Speakers of Parliament. First Republic:
Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist, Kt., OBE- Mar 1951- Dec 1957
Justice Augustus Molade Akiwumi - Feb 1958 - June 1960
Joseph Richard Asiedu - July 1960 - June 1965
Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta - June 10, 1965 - Feb 22, 1966

Second Republic
Justice Nii Amaa Ollenu - Oct 1969 - Dec 1971

Third Republic
Justice Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph - Sept 24, 1979 - Dec. 1981

Fourth Republic
Justice Daniel Francis Annan - Jan 7, 1993 - 1996
Justice Daniel Francis Annan - re-elected in 1997 for another four years
Peter Ala Adjetey - 2001-2005
Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes - 2005-