A delegation from the Nobel International Business School (NiBS), led by founder Professor Kwaku Atuahene-Gima, has paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in a symbolic gesture recognising his exemplary leadership and statesmanship during Ghana’s recent parliamentary term.
The visit, which took place in Parliament, was anchored on the delegation’s admiration for the Speaker’s navigation of Ghana’s historic hung Parliament – an unprecedented political landscape that tested the resilience of the country’s legislative arm. Professor Atuahene-Gima praised Speaker Bagbin’s leadership as the stabilising force that kept Ghana’s democracy on course during a fragile period.
“There was a time in Ghana if we didn’t have a very stable, creative, innovative hand, this nation wouldn’t have survived”
Professor Kwaku Atuahene-Gima, Founder And Professor at NiBS University
According to the NiBS founder, Speaker Bagbin’s deft handling of legislative affairs during the Eighth Parliament stood in sharp contrast to other jurisdictions where hung Parliaments have often proven unworkable. “Parliaments such as the British Parliament could not succeed with their hung Parliament,” he remarked, adding that Ghana’s legislative body had become a model due to the Speaker’s stewardship.
As part of the visit, Professor Atuahene-Gima announced the establishment of a scholarship in Speaker Bagbin’s name, valued at US$180,000. The scholarship, he explained, will be awarded to Members of Parliament seeking to pursue postgraduate degrees in Public Sector Innovation and Leadership, specifically at the doctoral and master’s levels.
“We are here to give you something that is hopefully everlasting and that is a scholarship in your name,” he said.
The scholarship programme is intended to support MPs and parliamentary staff committed to enhancing their academic and professional capabilities. NiBS expressed its readiness to collaborate with Parliament to further institutional development and capacity building.
Responding to the gesture, Speaker Bagbin expressed gratitude for the recognition, stressing that the collaboration and the scholarship initiative align with his vision of a capable and knowledgeable legislature. He referenced the transformation that has occurred under his leadership, which he attributed to intentional efforts to build institutional capacity.
“What we did in the hung Parliament is what has propelled our development partners to come and do business with Parliament involving a one hundred and sixty million dollars project to build the capacities of Members and staff”
Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament
Mr. Bagbin used the opportunity to reflect on Ghana’s unique experience with a hung Parliament, describing it as the most successful in recent times. He recalled the challenge of presiding over a House where the Speaker belonged to a different political party than the executive majority and commended the institution for remaining balanced and democratic throughout.
He emphasised that the success of the Ninth Parliament was not a coincidence but the result of deliberate institutional innovation and the cultivation of trust across party lines. “Not all hung Parliaments have survived,” he declared, affirming that Ghana had distinguished itself in this regard.
The Speaker further assured the NiBS delegation of Parliament’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the scholarship programme. He urged Members and staff to embrace the opportunity and use it to enhance their value to the country.
“The scholarships awarded will not be abused,” Mr. Bagbin asserted.
The Parliament of Ghana, under the leadership of Speaker Bagbin, has actively pursued partnerships aimed at deepening democratic governance and building legislative capacity.
This latest gesture by the Nobel International Business School signals a growing recognition of the role Parliament plays in shaping national development.
The collaboration is expected to mark the beginning of sustained academic exchange between the two institutions, contributing to policy innovation and leadership training among lawmakers and their technical teams.
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