In accordance to the Local Governance Act 2016(Act 936) with amendment by Act 940, provides that District Level Election should be conducted every four years with an interval between it and the Presidential and Parliamentary elections being at least six months apart. Yes indeed, such District election was held in Atiwa East District for which some newly assembly members were elected into power, and other retained their seat.
On the month of February 12th, 2024 was marked for the inauguration of all assembly members within their respective districts for which was the 3rd of its kind at Atiwa East District.
The event was witnessed at the assembly hall within the premises of the district assembly at 10am, and was graced with the presence of the MP for Atiwa East Constituency in the person of Hon. Abena Osei Asare, the presidential representative Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah, the District Chief Executive in the person of Hon. Kwabena Panin Nkansah, the District Coordinating Director in the person of Shakil Kpedau Mahamood, chiefs and queen mothers from all over the district, government appointees, the electoral commission representative, the district high court judge, the district police commander, the fire service commander, the ambulance service commander, all 24 elected assembly members and some unit committees, all head of departments of the assembly, the media, friends and families.
The district coordinating director made a quick introduction of the dignities, and the newly elected assembly members after the district information officer in the person of Mr. Fredereck Agyei Kofi welcome everyone presents at the event and acknowledged the presence of the chiefs and the queen mothers. The DCD did acknowledge and congratulated generously the newly elected assembly members on their government appointment from the president of the Republic of Ghana and issued the letters to them.
In speaking was Hon. DCE Kwabena Panin Nkansah, expressing his overwhelming gratitude to the past and the immediate elected assembly members for a job well done last year 2023 district election conduction, and to the past elected assembly members a job well done for what they have done for the past 4 years ago towards the development of the district.
The district assembly is in 3 folds namely the assembly itself, the area council, and the unit committee said by the DCE and that in terms of hierarchy, the assembly is the highest, follow by the area council and the to the unit committee. For each of them have their own functions to perform toward the development of the district for better Ghana but they are interconnected.
In his presentation quoted the Local Government Act 936, 2016 section 5 and said that for the members of the composition of the district assembly includes the DCE, the Member of Parliament, 16 elected assembly members, and 6 government appointees. Among the members and in terms of performing in their duties tasked to them, the elected assembly members are the important of all, and edged them to execute their duties with much efforts if they want the district assembly to thrive for the next subsequent four years.
To the allowance giving to the elected assembly members whiles in office are internally generated and so there is a need to aid the district assembly in revenue mobilization.
The DCE made emphasis on the Model Standing Orders and the Local Governance Act to the new elected assembly members. He said that the Model Standing Orders are the set of instruction that clearly defines the duties of an assembly member whiles the Local Governance Act clearly defines the duties of the assembly as a whole.
He further said that, the head of department of the assembly and agencies are the technical advisors and will be placed among the subcommittees in other to make work easier. In terms of revenue collection, the task has been giving to the area council and will need the assistance of the assembly men and women to that effect. For the area council to continue to operate effectively, portion of the revenue collection is being allocated to the area council.
The DCE, finally ended his presentation by edging everyone to be one accord and to adheres to the rules and regulation for the development and betterment of the district, and mother Ghana.
In speaking was Hon. Abena Osei Asare expressing her gratitude to everyone present at the event especially the past, newly elected assembly members, and all government appointees. She made it clear that we are all her to adheres to the rules and regulation governing the district assembly and not our own rules, to clearly do what is expected of them and what they have promised to the people of Atiwa East for which was based on to the elected power and not forget them. To the government appointees, she said that they have a role to play both in the party and to the district, and edged them to be united in oneness, especially in decision making.
To the MP Hon. Abena Osei Asare, she said one of the things she would like everyone to adheres to is the revenue collection because if area council will operate effectively and the elected assembly members will receive their allowance whiles in office, then much effort have to be done and not rely solely on the district common fund.
In addition to this, she will do everything in her power to aid the district assembly in anyway she can for the development and betterment of the district and mother Ghana, and edge the chiefs and queen mothers to do the same because they are the custodians of the land and if the district will thrive, then they have a role to play.
In speaking was Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah for MP for Akuapim South, the president representative. He said that the newly elected assembly members have the mandate to deliberate, plan, mobilize resources, make decision including bylaws toward Ghana growth and development. The purpose of having elected assembly members is to affirm decentralization and decision making in governance as stipulated in the Article 35, clause 6d of the 1992 constitution.
In addition, the decentralization started in 1998 and today Ghana is witnessing another inauguration in 261 districts with the exception of Nkransah North and South district assemblies for which is a good indication of a good democratic governance. For this reason, it’s his prayer that goof ideas, innovation and opportunities will emerge to deepening the creative Legislation and Executive functions of the assembly.
Finally, the President Rep clearly, edged the newly elected assembly members to cultivate and deepening good working relationship with the staff of the assemblies, the DCD and the DCE, the member of Parliament and the people you represent.
The event witnessed the swearing of the newly elected assembly members and government appointees moderated by the District Court Judge in the person of His Lordship Titus Glover, follow by election of a presiding member moderated by the Electoral commission representative as the constitution of Ghana demands in the setting of local governance for which out of 23 newly elected assembly members, 22 which constitute 95.9% voted ‘Yes’, 1 constituting 4.1% voted ‘No’ toward Hon. Nyarko Abraham, assembly member for Tiwiah-Subriso located in Kedewaso Area council.
The event paved a way for Chief of Sekeyere, Berima Owusu Techie to express his gratitude and to lay is concern before the house. The chief shown much concern on assembly making a report on the activities conducted on his grounds by the assembly members on behave of the district assembly and advice the newly elected assembly members not to rap shoulders with the chiefs and queen mothers in their respective jurisdiction but to cooperate with them for the betterment and the development of the assembly.