Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Newly elected and appointed assembly members tasked to champion the interest of electorates







 Fifty three elected and appointed assembly members for the Bolgatanga municipal assembly were today sworn into office to spearhead the socio-economic development of their respective electoral areas. 

At an inaugural ceremony held at the premises of the assembly, the newly inducted members were tasked to champion the interest of the group they represent and exercise their functions diligently in line with the mission and vision of the assembly. 

The Upper East Regional Minister, James Zuuga Tiiga, who made the call, said by the local government act of 1993, members of the assembly are obliged to establish close contact with their electorates, consult them on critical issues and above all collate their views for presentation to the assembly. 

He said while performing this task, they also owe it a responsibility to live up to expectation and have regard for issues of national interest and not their personal parochial interest. 

 Mr Tiiga, who is also the acting MCE for Bolgatanga municipal following the exit of the former MCE, Edward Ayagle, further charged members of the assembly to help deepen the country's decentralisation process by encouraging grassroots participation to promote democracy and peace in the country. 

Touching on the potentials of the area, Mr Zuuga Tiiga,  observed that the region and for that matter the Bolgatanga municipality and it's catchment area abound in lots of economic potentials that could be harnessed to provide additional revenue for the assembly. 

He therefore challenged the assembly to explore avenues by venturing into such untapped resources to assist in the development process of the assembly. 

Delivering the inaugural address on behalf of the President, the Principal of Gbewaa College of Education, Rev.  Luke Abugri reiterated the need for the members to serve their people and the country at the local level diligently. 

He said under the decentralisation process, former functions and powers of government had been entrusted into the assemblies. 

This means that assembly members have to work closely as a team in the discharge of their duties. The 53 assembly members of the Bolgatanga municipal assembly consist of 37 elected and 16 government appointees. 

They were officially sworn into office by Rev Abugri. Out of the 53 assembly members, five were women. 

The election of Presiding member for the Bolga Assembly has been postponed for another 21 days because all the four contestants failed to attain two third of the number of votes.   

At the time of filling this report election of presiding members for all the 13 district assemblies were ongoing. 

At Tongo in the Talensi district, 34 assembly members comprising 10 government appointees including the DCE and 24 elected members were sworn into office. 

The oath of office was administered by the Regional Minister, James Zuuga Tiiga. After the inaugural ceremony, retired educationist and elected assembly member for Tongo central, Bernadict Yindol was by unanimous decision elected as the Presiding Member for the Talensi assembly. 

This was after his main contender who is the assembly member elect for Shiega electoral area, Michael Zooga withdrew from the race.  

According to him, he took the decision on personal grounds. 

In the Bongo district, 38 elected and 16 appointed members of the assembly were inducted into office. Out of the number, 9 were women. 

GBC

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