259 MMDAs inaugurated nationwide… as assembly members take office

The 259 out of 261 Metropolitan, Mu­nicipal and District Assemblies were yesterday simulta­neously inaugurated across the country.

Mr Henry Quartey (second from right) and other dignitaries congratulating the newly sworn in assembly members at Ledzokuku Photo Victor A. Buxton Assembly Members take oath of office in Zuarungu, Bolgatanga East District, UER Her Worship Bernice Mensimah Ackon with mic swearing in the assembly members at the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly. Photo. Ebo Gorman

The Nkronza North and South in Bono East Region were not inaugurated because they had their elections in 2021 instead of 2019, in which case their terms would have expired in 2023.

Designated Judges and Magistrates swore the newly elected members and their presiding members. How­ever, some assemblies could not elect their presiding members because they could not get the required two-third majority.

They swore the Oaths of Office and Secrecy.

Yesterday’s event was also in fulfilment of Article 35 Clause (d) of the 1992 Constitution which enjoins the state to pro­mote decentralisation and popular participation in governance by affording all possible opportunities to the citizenry to participate in decision-making at all levels of government.

In Accra, CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS reports that the 16 mem­bers of the La Dade-Kotopon Mu­nicipal Assembly elected Emman­uel Nyarko Baah as the Presiding Member while the election of one for 19-member Ledzokuku Mu­nicipal Assembly was postponed because the vote did not meet the required threshold.

Her Worship Adwoa Benaso Adumavu-Sakyi (inset) swearing in LaDMA Members Photo Victor A. Buxton

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in an address read on his behalf by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, urged the members to acquaint themselves with all the relevant laws on local governance to avoid conflicts with key stake­holders in their localities.

President Akufo-Addo called on the members to build good work­ing relationships with the colleague assembly members, District Chief Executive, Member of Parliament, Staff of the District Assembly, and the people they represent.

“You should also establish strong partnerships and collabo­rate with the local structures particularly, the urban, town, zonal and area council, the unit committees and traditional authorities as well as other identi­fiable groups to facilitate the work of the District Assembly.

“As a first step, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentrali­sation and Rural Development, through the ILGS, will in the next few weeks organise your orien­tation and training to enable you appreciate the expected roles and responsibilities,” he added.

The Chief Executive of La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assem­bly, Solomon Kotey Nikoi, called for collective support in imple­menting the policies and programs outlined in the assembly’s 2024 annual action plan aimed at fos­tering economic stability, growth and development leading to job creation, income generation and poverty reduction among others.

At the Ayawaso Central Munic­ipal Assembly in Accra, BEN­JAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY reports that Mr Hudu Ismail had been officially declared the Presiding Member (PM) after 18 members of the assembly voted in his favour.

Her Worship Bernice Mensimah Ackon with mic swearing in the assembly members at the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly. Photo. Ebo Gorman

District Magistrate, Kotobabi Magistrate Court, Maame Yaa Kusi-Mensah, administered the oath to Mr Ismail after his official declaration by the Electoral Officer of the assembly, Mrs Lydia Anom.

Ms Kusi-Mensah also admin­istered the official oath of office and secrecy to the new assembly members comprising 12 elected members and six government appointees.

The Municipal Chief Execu­tive (MCE) of Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly, Mr Archibald Cobbina, further urged the gov­ernment appointees to consider the assumption of their office as an honour and work hard to justify the confidence reposed in them by the President.

At Ashaiman, IAN MOTEY reports that 26 members of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly were sworn in yesterday for a man­datory four-year term.

From Tema, KEN AFEDZI re­ports that, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) swore-in a total of 31 assembly members including four females and 27 males.

Her Worship Seyram Mahama swearing in the members at TMA

They were sworn into office by the Magistrate of the Tema Court, Seyram Mahama through the ad­ministration of the oath of office and secrecy.

The Chairman of the Public Services Commission, Professor Victor Kwame Agyeman read the President’s address.

BERNARD BENGHAN reports that a Circuit Court Judge, El-Alawah Abdul-Baasit inaugu­rated nine newly elected assembly members and six government appointees in the Ablekuma West Municipal Assembly.

The Deputy Minister of De­fence, Mr Kofi Amankwa-Manu, represented the President.

The Municipal Chief Executive of Ablekuma West Municipal Assembly, Mr George Cyril Bray, advised the newly elected assem­bly members to live up to their responsibilities, and to promote the well-being of the local people who voted for them.

Mr Bray called on the assembly members to strive for the goodness of their various communities, and always be mindful of the trust be­stowed upon them by the citizens they proudly serve.

CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE reports from sekondi in the West­ern Region that the 57 assembly members, comprising 40 elected members and 17 government ap­pointees of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) was swor-in by District Magistrate, Bernice Oduro-Kwarteng.

The Managing Director of Gha­na Water Company, Dr Clifford A. Braimah, delivered the President’s message.

Ms Oduro-Kwarteng (inset) swearing in the newly STMA members

The Chief Executive of STMA, Mr Abdul-Mumin Issah, reminded the House that consensus was key in achieving the aspirations and improving the living standards of the people they represented.

FRANCIS DABANG DABRE reports from the Upper East Re­gion that 15 Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) were success­fully inaugurated.

A total of 24 assembly mem­bers, comprising 16 elected and eight government appointees were sworn-in by Mr Mawukoenya Nutekpor, Bolgatanga District Magistrate.

FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, Kumasi, said Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Daniel Kwaku Botwe, identified lack of engage­ment between electorates and elected members as a key factor contributing to voter apathy during District Level Elections.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assem­bly (KMA), Mr Botwe highlighted concerns regarding the low par­ticipation of women and Persons Living with Disabilities in local governance.

The newly inaugurated assembly, comprising 66 members including elected representatives, govern­ment appointees, the District Chief Executive, and Members of Parlia­ment, face challenges ranging from congestion to sanitation issues.

Mr Samuel Pyne, Chief Execu­tive Officer for the KMA, empha­sised the need for concerted efforts among members to address these pressing concerns.

In a contested election, Mr Pat­rick Kwame Frimpong, retained his position as Presiding Member for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assem­bly, signaling a continued commit­ment to local governance despite the persisting challenges.

FROM YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, Tolon, said Tolon District Assembly in the Northern Region on Monday inaugurated the newly elected and appointed mem­bers of the assembly to champion the socio-economic development of the area for the next four years.

The Member of Council of State, N’yab Zung Naa, Col. (Rtd) Mahama Tahiru after the swearing-in, urged the assembly members to have cordial relation with the DCE and the staff of the district assembly.

Naa, Col. (Rtd) who delivered the President’s speech, said the NPP government had undertaken a number of interventions to expand its developmental projects across the country.

The Tolon District Chief Ex­ecutive (DCE), Mr Fuseini Salifu Issifu, called on members to see themselves as agents of change

for their respective communities and be partners in the development efforts of the assembly devoid of political, ethnic, religious and traditional biases.

He said the unit committees were councilors at the town or area councils were mandated to work hand-in-hand with the district assembly to implement and execute government policies and pro­grammes as well as play a pivotal role in mobilisation of the Internal Generated Fund for the develop­ment of the district.

The assembly was yet to vote the presiding officer (MP) as at the time of filing this report and Tamale Metropolitan Assembly in­auguration was scheduled to start.