Speaker Bagbin exchanging pleasantries with Freddie Blay
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, together with the former Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Board and former First Deputy Speaker, Freddie Blay, have paid glowing tributes to the late Samuel Ntim Darkwa, a former Clerk to Parliament, during a solemn farewell ceremony held in his honour.
The ceremony, held at the forecourt of Parliament House, drew a host of dignitaries, including the former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye; former National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame; and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
The event was marked by heartfelt reflections on Mr. Darkwa’s decades of service to the country’s legislative body.
Their presence highlighted the bipartisan respect and national reverence accorded the late Clerk.
Ahead of the funeral rites, a solemn pre-burial service was held in Parliament to honour the late Samuel Ntim Darkwa, who worked for over thirty years in various capacities and rose through the ranks to become Clerk to Parliament.
The ceremony brought together Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff, and dignitaries who gathered to pay their respects to a man whose service spanned all four Republics of Ghana.
According to Speaker Bagbin, Mr. Darkwa was renowned for his deep institutional knowledge and unwavering commitment to parliamentary democracy.
He notably co-authored seminal works such as ‘The Evolution of Parliament in Ghana’ and ‘How Our Parliament Functions’, contributing significantly to the documentation of Ghana’s legislative history.
Speaker Bagbin further highlighted his legacy as a dedicated public servant and constitutional expert, reiterating his contributions to the development of the country’s parliamentary democracy.
The late Darkwa’s unparalleled journey through Ghana’s legislative evolution began in 1961, culminating in his appointment as Clerk to Parliament, the highest administrative position in the legislature.
He served as Assistant Clerk to the 1968 Constituent Assembly and as Clerk to the 1992 Consultative Assembly, cementing his place in Ghana’s democratic development.
Uniquely, Mr. Darkwa holds the distinction of having served in all Parliaments and Constituent Assemblies of Ghana from 1961 to 1997 — a period marked by constitutional reforms, political transitions, and institutional growth.
His deep expertise in parliamentary procedure and the intricate workings of the House and its Committees earned him accolades from both local and international peers.
He was a familiar face at Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conferences and served as a resource person at several workshops and seminars across Southern Africa.
His scholarly contributions, particularly to The Parliamentarian — the CPA’s flagship journal — further bolstered his reputation as a thought leader in legislative affairs.
In retirement, Mr. Darkwa remained deeply engaged in Ghana’s democratic processes, Speaker Bagbin said.
He served as a consultant to both the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), contributing to studies on the performance of Parliament and reforms to the Standing Orders of the House.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke