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Asutifi North Assembly inaugurates 3rd Assembly

The Asutifi North District Assembly has on Thursday 23rd January in pursuant of Section (3) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (936) inaugurated its third general assembly after the successful conduction of the district level elections by the Electoral Commission on December 17, 2019.

Date Created : 1/31/2020 5:11:03 AM : Story Author : Mavis Ofosuah Asante/Ghanadistricts.com

The inauguration which took place at the forecourt of the District Assembly Complex saw the swearing-in of 156 individuals; made up of 25 elected assembly, 12 appointees and 119 unit committee. They were all congratulated and called on to work in unity to ensure development is achieved in the District.

Deputy Ahafo Regional Minister and MP for Tano South, Hon. Sekyere Yeboah in his speech read on behalf of President Akufo Addo, charged members to support the Assembly to advance the implementation of government policies. He stressed that the government needs them to support their District Chief Executive to pursue policies and programs aimed at improving the welfare and wellbeing of the people.

On strengthening the financial muscle of the district, the minister invited members to take advantage of efforts being made by the government, through the ministry of local government and rural development, in the area of property rates, in addition to other innovative systems, to enhance the district’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF).

He explained the assembly can achieve that (improvement of its internally generated fund) by vigorously pursuing street naming, property addressing and working hand-in-hand with the National Digital Property Addressing System and the Ghana Post GPS.

Hon. Benjamin Yeboah Sekyere, through the President’s speech, further tasked members to work with the Assembly to address the challenge of unplanned and haphazard settlements. He charged members to ensure compliance with the building rules and regulations for the development of lands in the area to avoid floods which may lead to loss of lives and property.

“As you are sworn in today, work with your assembly to ensure compliance with building regulations on the zoning and development of lands to avoid flooding and accompanying loss of lives and property. I charge your Assembly to use its bye-laws to enforce compliance in sanitation management and environmental health standards and rules to ensure a clean and healthy environment”.

Some 14 elected Assembly members led by Hon. Elisha Osei Bonsu refused to be sworn in, in protest to the President's decision to appoint 12 members which according to them by precedence has always been 11.

Elisha Osei Bonsu explained that section 5 of the local government Act, Act 462 mandates the Assembly to be composed of 25 elected members from each electoral area within the district, the District Chief Executive, the Member of Parliament and appointees by the president in consultation with traditional authorities and other interest groups in the district not exceeding thirty percent of the total membership. "12 appointees by the president exceeds thirty percent which is in defiance of the laid down guidelines of the act", he added.

District Coordinating Director, Mr. Samuel Badu Baiden addressing the concerns of the agitated Assembly members explained that the government appointees must be 30 percent in the proportion of the 27 elected members which is 11.7. Hence, the decision to round it up to 12.

The agitating members were later sworn in at the office of the District Chief Executive after calmness was installed.

The ceremony was followed by an inaugural meeting for the election of a presiding member and adoption of an official language for the Assembly's business.

After two rounds of voting, the presiding member could not be selected and per the rules, the Assembly was postponed and to be elected within the next ten days.

The inaugurated assembly is mandated to lead the development agenda of the Asutifi North District for the next four years.