The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Haji Alima Mahama has inaugurated the 8th Tamale Metropolitan Assembly with a call on members to help advance the implementation of government policies.
She said government is pursuing several programmes aimed at improving the welfare of Ghanaians and the Assemblies remains a critical component of that agenda and therefore must ensure that the government delivers on its promises to the people.
“Be minded of the fact that Assemblies are a critical part of government, and have a role to play in ensuring that the government delivers on its promises to Ghanaians. Together with your MMDECs, I charge you to advance the implementation of government programmes in the coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies 2017-2024”.
The inauguration of the new assemblies follows the successful conduct of the district level elections by the Electoral Commission (EC) on December 17,2019 and pursuant to the Local Governance Act, 2016 (936).
According to the EC, about 57,000 candidates registered to contest the polls, out of which 18,519 vied to become assembly members and 38,520 contested to become Unit Committee members Nationwide.
Haji Alima Mahama at a ceremony in Tamale said, her ministry has “formulated a rural development policy which provides a mechanism for the implementation of coordinated interventions on agriculture, social services and other skills development initiatives to ensure transformative change in the lives of rural people across the country”.
She urged the Assembly to “vigorously pursue the street naming policy, the property addressing and take advantage of the digital property addressing system, the Ghana post GPS and other innovation ways as developed by the Ministry to improve revenue mobilization in the assembly”.
The Local Government Minister, Haji Alima Mahama also reminded the assembly members of the requirement to live selflessly, devotion to duty and being accountable to the people to enable them deliver efficient service to improve on the quality of life and promote prosperity.
Meanwhile, assembly member for Nakpanzo electoral area Mohammed Alhassan has been elected as the Presiding Member of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly.
The third time assembly member polled 43 votes to beat the assembly member for Bilpiela electoral area Issah Abubakari who only managed 17 votes.
Mohammed Alhassan have thus promised to ensure the welfare of assembly members and also initiate innovative ways to improve revenue mobilization within the Tamale Metropolitan area.
The 8th Tamale Metropolitan assembly is made up of 41 elected assembly members and 18 government appointees.
Three of the 18 government appointees are women and one person with disability.
Source: Edward Ken-Zorre | www.diamondfmonline.com | Ghana
