The Presiding Member of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, Alexander Frimpong Boadu, has added his voice to suggestions by the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) and other bodies for the term of office of Presiding Members (PMs) to be extended from two years to four years.
The Presiding Member was of the view that the two years are woefully inadequate for PMs, considering their contribution to development at the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country.
Mr Frimpong Boadu was speaking to the media after his resounding endorsement as the Presiding Member to serve a second term of office.
He polled 26 out of the 26 votes cast on the day.
The Obuasi PM was of the view that the tenure of Presiding Members should run concurrently with that of the President and Members of Parliament.
“As Presiding Members, we play key roles in the local government system so we deserve more years to enable us effectively carry out our mandate.”
In recognising the need to deepen local participation in governance, the Obuasi Assembly PM revealed that he plans to work with leadership to strengthen the two Zonal Councils by giving them the needed resources for them to carry out their functions.
He said the Zonal Council system is key in addressing concerns at the community level even before it escalates to the top.
He called on the Assembly members to support him in order to achieve this feat.
Revamping the Kumka Market
The Presiding Member also mentioned his resolve to revamp the Kunka Market in his second term.
He said a committee has already been set up to recommend ways to bring life back to the market.
He pledged that he will make sure the report from the committee will be implemented.
He thanked the Assembly members for reposing confidence in him by giving him another term, promising to work closely with them for the development of Obuasi.
The Local Governance Act 936 stipulates that a Presiding Member shall be elected by at least a two-thirds majority of all the members of the District Assembly. The Presiding Member shall hold office for a term of two years and is eligible for re-election.
Mr Frimpong Boadu was sworn into office by the Obuasi District Magistrate, His Lordship Kofi Owusu Sekyere.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Elijah Adansi-Bonah, was present and took part in the voting.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana