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Assembly Members tasked to improve IGF

The Berekum West District Assembly has been inaugurated with a call on Members to work in synergy with Management and departments of the Assembly to improve on the mobilization of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to accelerate the development of the district.

Date Created : 2/4/2020 2:53:35 AM : Story Author : Alan Theresa Boakye-Yeboah/Ghanadistricts.com

Deputy Bono Regional Minister, Mr. Siaka Steven, who read an inaugural address on behalf of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged assembly members to come up with innovative mechanisms to increase their internally generated funds for developmental projects in their area.

“I urge you to take advantage of automation and other innovative systems developed by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to improve their internally generated funds. This can be achieved if street naming and property addressing is pursued vigorously, working hand-in-hand with the National Digital Property Addressing System and the Ghana Post GPS. Assembly members should devise special client sensitive approaches to mobilize these rates, devoid of challenges to the rate payers,” he said.

The President charged the Assembly members made up of 19 elected and 9 appointees to support the Assembly to advance the implementation of Government co-ordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies 2017-2024. He cited among others the “One District, One Factory”, programme, Planting for Food and Jobs, Planting for Export and Rural Development, One Village, One Dam, as some of the governments intervention to alleviating poverty in the country.

He further urged assembly members to rekindle communal spirit among the youth in the respective electoral areas through effective engagement to foster development in their communities.

Earlier in his welcome address, the District Chief Executive Mr. Isaac Osei commended the traditional authorities and citizenry for their immense support for the Assembly towards the development of the district since its creation and said decentralization was very central to Ghana’s democratic process and that Assembly members are mandated to perform deliberative and legislative functions to ensure the development of the district. He said the inauguration of the Assembly was in line with the model standing order 1(1) to signify the commencement of the term of office of the Assembly members and congratulated them on their election.

Addressing the ceremony on behalf of the Traditional Authorities, Osabarima Kusi Yeboah II, Nifahene of Berekum Traditional Council and chief of Domfete encouraged the Assembly members to unite for the development of the district.

28 Assembly Members made up of 26 males and 2 females took the Official Oath of Office and the Oath of Allegiance administered by the His Honour, Osei Kofi Amoako, judge of the Berekum District Court.

Election of Presiding Member (PM)

The newly inaugurated Assembly However, failed to elect a Presiding Member after two rounds of voting. Both contestants, Mr. Atta Jacob and Mr. Olivaries Nketiah both failed to acquire the two-thirds majority needed to win.

In his closing remarks, Chairman for the occasion, Nana Tutu Asare Baffour II, Chief of Jinijini and Akyempimhene of Berekum Traditional Area charged the Assembly Members to always work towards achieving the interest of the Assembly above their personal interest and expressed the hope that the Assembly will be able to elect a Presiding member in its next sitting.