The meeting was held at the Municipal Assembly Conference Hall, Bechem, and brought together key stakeholders, including the Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Emmanuel Kwame Frimpong, Omanhene of Bechem Traditional Council, Nana Asiwubor Osei Bonsu III, security services, Hon. Assembly Members, Nananom, Heads of Departments.

Setting the tone for the session, Hon. Isaac Kusi Amponsah, the Presiding Member, explained the legal framework establishing the gathering and expressed gratitude to the government for fulfilling its promise regarding the payment of monthly allowances for Assembly members. He announced that the first quarter 2026 allowance would be paid very soon to members while assuring past members of payment of their overdue ex-gratia, noting that management has taken steps to facilitate payment.

Hon. Amponsah shared updates regarding the procurement of motorbikes through the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) to enhance the mobility and service delivery of members within and outside their electoral areas and appeal to assembly members to support the newly activated Revenue Task Force to boost local revenue mobilization.

On administrative conflict resolution, he informed the house that the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC) is fully functional and encouraged members to report future issues for redress. He acknowledged the developmental contribution of the Member of Parliament, Hon. Charles Asiedu, to the municipality, highlighting the recent distribution of streetlights to all Assembly Members, an intervention aimed at improving visibility and security within their respective electoral areas.

Closing his remark, Hon. Amponsah urged all Assembly Members, both elected and appointed, alongside Unit Committee members, to work in unity to promote development and desist from unhealthy partisan politics that slows down progress.

In a comprehensive sessional address, Hon. Emmanuel Kwame Frimpong, the Municipal Chief Executive presented a detailed overview of the executive strategies, financial status, and developmental milestones of the municipality, highlighting progress and outlining future plans.

Touching on security, Hon. Frimpong reported that Tano South remains relatively calm, although law enforcement continues to clamp down on petty stealing and the illicit drug trade.

Hon. Frimpong commended the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC), traditional authorities, and assembly members for preserving local peace, while reminding citizens that crime fighting requires collective vigilance and timely information sharing with the police.

Reviewing the financial standing of the Assembly as of March 31, 2026, Hon Frimpong presented the first-quarter performance metrics, noting that the Central government releases saw a Government of Ghana (GOG) paid expenditure of GH¢ 3,035,602.37 against an annual estimate of GH¢ 19,382,876.38, representing a 15.34% execution rate.

On the local front, Internally Generated Funds (IGF) reached GH¢ 308,132.38 out of a projected GH¢ 1,366,724.99, translating to a 22.55% performance rate. License and fee collections yielded the highest returns at 36.28% and 30.48% respectively, while rates and fines remained low. To confront these revenue shortfalls, Hon. Frimpong announced an aggressive four-tier local mobilization strategy, which included recruiting commission-based collectors, setting strict targets for regular collectors, reactivating the Revenue Mobilization Taskforce, and organizing capacity-building training for collectors.

On the social sector, he highlighted major expansions in welfare interventions such as the recent reassessment exercise conducted by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, where LEAP beneficiary households in the municipality saw an increase by 33.1%, jumping from 494 to 658 households. During 2025, the Assembly successfully supervised five payment cycles supporting 109 males and 385 females. He further indicated that the Assembly in December 2025, disbursed its 7th batch of disability fund support, distributing vital vocational tools and financial aid to 66 Persons with Disability, which included deep freezers, fufu pounding machines, sewing units, and metal containers.

Touching on the agricultural sector, which remains the backbone of the Tano South economy, he noted a significant engagement through state-sponsored initiatives. Under the Planting for Food and Jobs Ghana Programme, the Department of Agriculture has registered 260 farmers into organized Farmer-Based Organizations. The "Nkoko Nketenkete" poultry flagship initiative successfully distributed 10,000 birds to local farmers, with the municipality uniquely positioned to host the program's dedicated feed and meat processing factory. Additionally, the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) raised 592,000 cocoa seedlings for distribution to local farmers during the 2025/2026 crop season.

To bridge the gap between agricultural production and market accessibility, Hon. Frimpong announced that under the national 24-Hour Economy Strategy, a contract has been awarded for the construction of a state-of-the-art market facility at the Tuesday Market, Bechem Junction. Infrastructure will be further bolstered by the central government’s (Big Push Initiative) which details significant upgrades to the Kumasi-Sunyani Road corridor and the creation of a 31km Sunyani Outer Ring Road to ease congestion. For local feeder roads, the Assembly will deploy newly received DRIP machines in partnership with the Office of the Member of Parliament to reshape deteriorating routes.

Reporting on educational advancement and youth empowerment, he stated that the Assembly is currently funding the expansion of classroom blocks and kindergarten infrastructure across multiple communities, following the successful celebration of the 69th Independence Day on March 6, 2026. To combat youth unemployment, Hon. Frimpong highlighted that a total of 315 local youth have been successfully employed under various modules of the Youth Employment Programme, spanning roles as Sanitation Modules, Teaching Assistants, Health Assistants, Arabic Teachers, and security aides.

Hon. Frimpong concluded his address with an appeal, urging all assembly members to eschew partisan friction and fully cooperate with the administrative task forces to realize the development targets set for the 2026 fiscal year.

In a brief remark, Nana Asiwobour Osei Bonsu III, the paramount chief of Bechem Traditional area, commended the assembly's efforts, and highlighted the importance of cooperation and unity in driving development. He acknowledged ongoing projects by the current administration, and advised that the assembly prioritize it completion within their period of office. Nana Asiwobour Osei Bonsu III praised the security services for maintaining peace and called on them to address minor issues, such as school disturbances and illegal mining (Galamsey).

The paramount chief of Bechem Traditional area, Nana Asiwobour Osei Bonsu III, speaking to Hon. Assembly members Nana Asiwobour Osei Bonsu III ended his address by emphasizing the need to enforce existing by-laws and penalties to maintain order, encouraging assembly members to take ownership and support the MCE in developing Tano South.