12th February 2024
In the quest to ensure effective and efficient grassroots participation in the governance of the country, Article 240 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana enshrines the importance of decentralization in the governance of the state.
By bringing government closer to the citizenry, decentralization allows people to participate more effectively in local affairs, including identifying community priorities. This increasingly provides the opportunity for local authorities to be held accountable for decisions that affect citizens’ lives.
Pursuance with Article 246 of the 1992 constitution and Section 6(1) of the Local Governance Act 2016, Act 936, and by regulations made for the purpose, the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, 19th December, 2023 held the 2023 District Level Elections. Twenty-two (22) Assembly Members were elected from the respective Electoral Areas in the Asante Akim North Municipality accordingly.
Concerning a directive from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development on the inauguration of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana, the Asante Akim North Municipal Assembly held its inauguration of the 4th Assembly on Monday, 12th February 2024 at the Assembly’s Conference Hall.
The inauguration was conducted by Hon. Abdulai Abanga (MP), Deputy Minister for Works and Housing.
By Order 9 (1) of the 2016 Model Standing Orders for District, Municipal, and Metropolitan Assemblies, Her Worship Cynthia Blagogee, District Magistrate, administered the Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance to the Twenty-Elected elected Assembly Members and Ten (10) Government Appointees.
ADDRESS BY THE MUNICIPAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, HON. FRANCIS OTI BOATENG.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Francis Oti Boateng, expressed his gratitude to Members of the 3rd Assembly for their immense support towards the development of the Municipality.
He echoed the need to further deepen and give effect to a decentralized system of governance in the Municipality to achieve the desired objective of the people. He urged members to help improve the Internally Generated Fund to prevent the Municipal Assembly’s over-reliance on the District Assemblies Common Fund for the implementation of its projects and programs.
He admonished Members to come out with more realistic, innovative, and creative strategies in collaboration with management to help generate adequate revenue to complement the efforts of the central government. Also, Members should ensure that funds provided by the central government as well as internally generated are prudently managed.
He also urged members not to jeopardize the cordial relationship, trust, and unity fostered among staff and management all these years which has yielded good results. He reiterated the importance of unity which is not an option but a critical ingredient for human existence.
ADDRESS BY THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, HON ANDY APPIAH-KUBI.
Hon. Andy Appiah-Kubi, Member of Parliament for the Asante Akim North Constituency, also admonished Members to be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties as Assembly Members. He urged Members to support the management of waste and the general environment within the Municipality.
He further called for support in ensuring strict adherence to community layouts to ensure the creation of functional, livable, and sustainable spaces that improve the socio-economic development of the Municipality.
He also entreated the management of the Municipal Assembly to organize training for Assembly Members for them to be abreast with their duties and responsibilities to enhance effective and efficient service delivery.
SWEARING-IN OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
By Order 9 (1) of the 2016 Model Standing Orders for District, Municipal, and Metropolitan Assemblies, Her Worship Cynthia Blagogee, District Magistrate, administered the Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance to Assembly Members (elected and appointed members).
INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HON. ABDULAI ABANGA, DEPUTY MINISTER FOR WORKS AND HOUSING.
Hon. Abdulai Abanga, Member of Parliament for Binduri and Deputy Minister for Works and Housing congratulated all the Twenty-Two (22) Elected Assembly Members and the Ten (10) Government Appointees for their success at the polls and appointment respectively. He took the opportunity to expound the duties of Assembly Members in pursuance to section 16 (1) of the Local Governance Act 2016, Act 936.
A member of a District Assembly shall as appropriate;
1. Maintain close contact with his electoral area, consult his people on issues to be discussed in the Municipal Assembly, and collate their views, opinions, and proposals.
2. Present the views, opinions, and proposals to the Municipal Assembly.
3. Attend meetings of the Municipal Assembly.
4. Report to his electorate the general decisions of the assembly and its executive committee and actions he has taken to solve problems raised by residents in his electoral area
5. Draw attention in general debates to national policies which are relevant to the subject under discussion
6. Actively participate in the work of sub-committees of the Executive Committee.
7. Bring to bear on any discussion in the Assembly the benefit of his skill, profession, experience or specialized knowledge.
8. Maintain frequent liaison with organized productive economic groupings and other persons in the district and
9. Take part in communal and development activities in the Municipality.
Also, Section 16(2) of the Local Governance Act further reaffirms that Assembly Members should have due regard to national interest and the interest of the people in the Municipality. It is therefore patent from the Act that Assembly Members should relegate their interest, and self-centeredness in the course of discharging their duties.
He reiterated that the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) has been retooled with state-of-the-art facilities and other training resources to enable them to effectively provide the needed training for Assembly and Unit Committee Members competence enhancement. As a first step, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, through the ILGS, will in the next few weeks organize orientation and training workshops to enable Members to appreciate their expected roles and responsibilities.
The credibility of the Asante Akim North Municipal Assembly will be assured in respect to the service rendered to people when the Assembly is served by dedicated and committed members who make it an obligation to execute their respective duties professionally and demand accountability of themselves. Therefore, members are expected to be diligent, accountable, and responsive to the Assembly and adhere to all protocols of the Local Government Service.
