Newly elected District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assembly members across the country are being sworn into office today.
They were elected in December 2019 and will serve a four-year tenure in line with constitutional provisions.
There are 25 assembly members, 17 of whom are elected and eight which are appointed by the government.
Per the constitution, assemblies are made up of one elected person from each local government electoral area within the district, the member or members of Parliament from the constituencies that fall within the area of authority of the District Assembly, the District Chief Executive of the district and other members not being more than 30 percent of all the members of the District Assembly, appointed by the President in consultation with the traditional authorities and other interest groups in the district.
The new members received varying words of encouragement from different officials which urged new members to strive for unity and uphold the law.
Lt. Gen Rtd. J.B Dankwah a Member of the Council of State urged the new members in the New Juaben South Municipality to work hand in hand with the assembly to help mobilise and improve internally generated funds.
Speaking on behalf of President at the inauguration, Lt Gen JB Dankwah called on the members to also work with relevant institutions to avoid flood-related deaths and disasters.
“As you are sworn in today, work with your assemblies to ensure compliance with the building rules and regulations on the zoning and development of lands and ensure that lands are developed according to approved plans and designated land use to avoid flooding and accompanying loss of lives and property”.
In Kumasi, the government has urged newly elected district assembly members to help ensure strict compliance of bye-laws.
Reading a speech on behalf of the President at the inauguration for assembly members within the Kumasi Metropolis, minister for parliamentary affairs, Kyei Mensah Bonsu also entreated the assembly members to play a key role in making government policies successful.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, one major function of the assembly is to explore avenues for the creation of employment for people, particularly the youth… As an assembly, we must work towards a diversified economy with strong linkages to industry and markets to generate employment and address poverty not only in Kumasi but as well in Ashanti and by extension in Ghana”.
Be mindful of promises
Newly sworn-in assembly members of the Bongo District Assembly in the Upper East Region were admonished to desist from making unattainable promises.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of 37 elected assembly members and 30 government appointees in Bongo, District Chief Executive Peter Ayinbisa admonished assembly members to properly engage community members in their electoral areas to attract government support for the holistic development of the area.
The newly sworn-in assembly members of the Nanumba North Municipality in the Northern Region were tasked to take advantage of government efforts through the local government and rural development ministry to enhance internally generated funds.
At the inaugural ceremony in Bimbilla in the Nanumba North Municipality, the deputy minister for tourism, Dr Ziblim Iddi, encouraged the assembly to take advantage of innovative systems developed by the state in this regard.
Postponed inaugurations
There were some hiccups in places like the Ho West District Assembly were the swearing-in was postponed following tensions that erupted at Dzolo Gborgame yesterday.
A resident was run over by the District Assembly Revenue Mobilization van leading to protests and an attack on the assembly’s office.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa instead used his time in the community to sympathise with the deceased’s family.
“We came to sympathize with the people of Dzolo on the loss of their son and to plead with them to exercise patience and to talk to the young people and to apologise to them for all that has happened and to assure them that government is going to investigate the issues,” he said.
The inauguration of assembly members of the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly was also postponed.
This was because of a disagreement between members of the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress over the number of government appointees to be added to the elected assembly members.
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