James Agalga Named New Majority Leader as Mahama Ayariga Nominated for Ministerial Role
The Member of Parliament for Builsa North, James Agalga, has been named the new Majority Leader in Parliament following the nomination of Mahama Ayariga as a minister-designate.
Sources familiar with the development said Mr. Agalga, who chairs Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, has been informed by NDC General Secretary Fiifi Kwetey and the outgoing Majority Leader that he will take over as the leader of government business in Parliament.
The development follows President John Dramani Mahama’s nomination of Mahama Ayariga as Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
The President also nominated Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings as Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology.
The nominations were contained in a press release issued by the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, on August 7, 2026.
As part of the reshuffle, the Minister of Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has also been reassigned to the Ministry of Defence.
The changes constitute the first ministerial reshuffle of President Mahama’s second term in office.
Who is James Agalga?
James Agalga is a four-term NDC Member of Parliament for Builsa North, having served in the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and current Ninth Parliaments.
He has extensive experience in Ghana’s security and parliamentary sectors.
Agalga previously served as Deputy Minister for the Interior under President Mahama, giving him direct executive experience in the management of Ghana’s internal security sector. Parliamentary records show that he was serving in the position by 2015.
He currently chairs Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, which oversees matters relating to defence, policing, immigration, prisons, fire services and other internal security agencies.
During the NDC’s period in opposition, he served as Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee.
He also serves on the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, is Ranking Member of the Human Rights Committee and sits on the Special Committee on Winnowing.
Legal and academic background
Professionally, Agalga is a lawyer and has worked as Managing Partner of Law Temple and with the Centre for Public Interest Law.
He obtained an LLB from the University of Ghana in 2002 and was called to the Ghana Bar after completing his Barrister-at-Law programme at the Ghana School of Law in 2004.
He later obtained a Master’s degree in Conflict, Peace and Security from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in 2018.
He also holds an LLM from the University of Ghana, which he completed in 2023.
His extensive parliamentary and executive experience, particularly in defence, security and legal affairs, is expected to shape his role as the new leader of government business in Parliament.
