259 MMDAs inaugurated nationwide

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

The Nkoranza North and South in the 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, 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.

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, Members 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, Mr Hudu Ismail was officially declared the Presiding Member (PM) after 18 members of the assembly voted in his favour.

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, 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.