Day: December 17, 2023

Mr Mark Odoro, the Incumbent Assembly member for Asukawkaw Electoral Area in the Krachi East District of the Oti Region, has been given the nod to contest in the upcoming District Level Election unopposed.

This came to light after Mr Odoro became the only aspirant to have picked up nomination forms to contest in that Electoral Area.

Mr Odoro, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), indicated that the absence of a competitor would not make him complacent but would rather help him to champion the interest of his people.

He added that his hard work over the years had paid off following the overwhelming endorsement by his electorates.

Mr Odoro further stated that he remained committed to ensuring his outfit and leadership skills produced the best relationship needed for growth.

Mr Yahya Sofo, a businessman at Asukawkaw, explained that their assemblyman had done tremendous work and believed the opportunity given him would bring more development.

He further recounted some developmental projects exe
cuted under Mr Odoro, which include the arrest of a matron at the Asukawkaw Senior High School for allegedly stealing food items meant for the school.

Mr Kafui Klutse, the Municipal Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), told the GNA that only Unit Committee Members would have their names on the ballot papers on the election day as a result.

He said a total of six aspirants had filed for the position of Unit Committee member in the Electoral area.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Nii Ottou Mustapha Lartey, incumbent Assembly member for the Nii Boiman Electoral Area in the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly, has called on the electorate to vote for him massively to continue the ‘good’ works for the area.

Nii Lartey, an artisan, speaking to the Ghana News Agency about his achievements, indicated that he had helped over 1000 people in the electoral area to register and renew their national health insurance.

Other achievements, he said, included providing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in the area with mathematical sets to help them in their exams, frequently organising health screening, as well as organising workshops to empower the youth with entrepreneurial and practical skills.

If given the nod for the second time, Mr Laryea said, he would tackle youth unemployment by promoting technical training and entrepreneurship, improving roads and drainage systems, and boosting patriotism and communal spirit by frequently organising activities to bring community me
mbers together and strengthen the ties among them.

‘For the service I have rendered to the community for the past four years, all those who love Nii Boiman and have the development of the community at heart should come out to vote on Tuesday. And they should vote for me,’ he said.

Madam Lydia Djimate (a.k.a. Maame Lawyer) is the other person aspiring for the assembly member position.

She had previously been an Assemblywoman in the area, and seeking a comeback.

She said whilst in the office, she helped improve the conditions of the street lights, drains, and roads in the area.

She also helped some school children with learning materials to enhance their education.

If given the chance again, she said she would do more of what she previously did to promote development in the community.

‘Both the men and women in the electoral area should vote for me. I don’t discriminate. So when I come into office, I will cooperate with everyone and work for the betterment of the area,’ she said.

14 persons are contesti
ng to become Unit Committee members. The men are seven, and the women are also seven.

One of the contestants is Mr Collins Coudjoe Dushie, a teacher.

He said with his higher level of education, great insight into local government, and good understanding of the electorate, he would be an effective committee member.

He said he would always work hard to channel the problems of the people to the municipal and national authorities so that the community could get the deserved development.

Madam Delight Elorm Adzokpa, a businesswoman, is another contestant for the Unit Committee membership.

She said she would tackle issues on sanitation and drainage, and embark on social intervention programmes to enhance children’s education in the community.

?She would also promote women’s empowerment by helping women in the community acquire skills training and access loans for business.

‘My fellow women should help me climb to the top. For women to become empowered, we must support ourselves. The men should also support w
omen so that women can rise on the political ladder.

‘On the election day, I want all men and women to come out in their numbers to vote for me,’ she said.

Nii Ayi Mensah I, Nii Boiman Djasetse (Kingmaker of Nii Boiman) said anyone elected the Assembly member should build a good rapport and regularly consult with the traditional authority in the area.

He said sanitation and encroachment of roads and waterways were some of the issues the Assembly members should help address.

He assured that his office would cooperate with the Assembly members and the Unit Committee members to make their work easier and smoother.?

He urged the Unit Committee members to regularly relay information to the Assembly members and assist the Assembly members in making good decisions for the development of the area.

Madam Comfort Nyarko, a resident in the Nii Boiman Electoral Area, encouraged the contestants to avail themselves after winning so that they could attend to the needs of the people.

She said the leaders should organi
se frequent community activities such as communal labour to bring the members together for interactions.

Mr Emmanuel Kpetsi, also a resident in the electoral area, said the winners must be transparent and ensure proper allocation of funds for the development of the community.

He urged the residents to come out in their numbers to vote so that the right persons would be elected to champion the interests of the area.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has intensified public education on the upcoming District Level Elections scheduled for Tuesday, December 19.

The communities visited were Nkwatia, Aduamoah, Kwahu Tafo, Bokuruwa, Pepease, Abene and Nteso all within the Kwahu-east municipality.

Miss Roberta Essilfuah Koah, Kwahu-east NCCE District Director, during the educational sessions, shed light on the crucial roles of Assembly and Unit Committee Members as outlined in the Local Governance Act, 2016 (936) of the 1992 Constitution.

Miss Koah highlighted the responsibilities vested in these elected representatives, emphasizing their role in local governance and decision-making and the need for the citizenry to participate in the district level elections.

She noted that the NCCE remains committed to ensuring that the electorate was well-informed, fostering a sense of civic duty and responsibility to improve participation in the upcoming elections.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alban S. Bagbin, Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, has backed calls for a national development plan to provide a solid development line for the Nation.

He said that could be made possible through a constitutional review that would prove the way for such a national development plan, now a sought intervention by many.

The Speaker was addressing a public forum organised in Ho by Parliament as part of its 30th anniversary celebration.

He said a national development plan would grant the nation a common sense of purpose, and should be supported by all.

‘Calls for a national development plan are apt. When we all buy into it, we will be moving in one direction. Not that NDC comes to power, and change direction NPP also comes and change direction.

‘We all must support the revision of the 1992 Constitution. We need to go through it to share and distribute the power’.

The speaker called on Ghanaians to celebrate the survival of the nation’s stable democracy and said the time to reconsider the national document wa
s due.

Mr Bagbin spent time recounting the journeys towards the establishment of the fourth republican parliament and said the people must appreciate the feat.

Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, who chaired the forum, commended the Speaker ‘for taking tremendously bold decisions to make parliament effective against all odds’.

He noted that although the Constitution survived the times, the inability to place it under review dulled the shine.

‘The constitution must be changed to respond to changes in our environment. So much has changed- ourselves as a people have changed. Our inability to adjust the Constitution to change is perhaps a failure’.

‘It will require a good leader, very nationally oriented who wants to change the Constitution’.

Togbe Afede said the nation required fair and honest leadership that would drive the country.

The anniversary has been designed as a nationwide event with public forums, engagements with traditional leaders and the media, and ended with a mock Parliamen
t in Ho.

The 30th Anniversary celebration was on the theme ‘ Thirty (30) Years of Parliamentary Democracy Under the Fourth Republic: The Journey Thus Far.’
Source: Ghana News Agency

Contestants in the upcoming District Level Election at the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly have expressed readiness for the exercise.

They have, therefore, encouraged community members to come out in their numbers to cast their votes.

The Electoral Commission has scheduled Tuesday, December 19, 2023, for the local government elections in 6,272 electoral areas in all the districts across the country, except Nkoranza North and Nkoranza South in the Bono East Region.

The exercise will elect Assembly members and Unit committee members for the next four years.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Friday, Mr Bernard Tetteh, contesting at the Adiembra Electoral area, said he had hit the ground running with house-to-house campaign to note down concerns of community members and share his vision with them.

He said his five-fold vision encompassed education, security, sanitation, healthcare, and transparency and accountability.

Mr Tetteh said since 2020, he had single-handedly lobbied for 55 streetlig
hts to be fixed at vantage points in his electoral area.

He said he had also organised extra classes for pupils, free health screening and registration/ renewal of National Health Insurance cards for 150 people, mobilised members for cleanup exercises, amongst others.

Mr Tetteh said he was, however, constrained with funds since many of the voters expected money from him and expressed worry over such a pattern.

‘Whoever sees you will ask for money. If you don’t meet their financial needs, they will regard you as selfish or wicked. Sometimes, I have to borrow money from my wife. Even today, it was my daughter who gave me Gh50 to sort myself out,’ he bemoaned.

Mr Raphael Nii Anum Ayikwei, incumbent Assembly Member of Mantiase/ Tse-Addo Electoral Area, who is seeking reelection, said due to the vastness of his area, it had been difficult to meet all the needs of the people. .

However, he expressed confidence of being retained due to his numerous accomplishments such as provision and desilting of drains, stre
etlights, and educational support, amongst others.

‘This year alone, we donated 530 math sets to the BECE candidates. We also addressed over 130 school placement issues. Parents and children are also being engaged to see the need to go to school and provide support where needed,’ he said.

He expressed worry over the absence of schools in the area and low interest of parents to enrol their wards in school.

However, Mr Ayikwei said when retained, he would address the issue through application of the laws to ensure that parents and guardians prioritised education.

He said he would also lobby for financial support for business startups.

Mr Ayikwei also bemoaned the low participation of community members in communal work.

‘Everyone thinks it is laborious to engage in communal work and expect to be paid for work they are doing to make living in the community better,’ he said.

The La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly was carved out of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in June 2012 with its capital at La.

It is b
ounded on both North and West by Accra Metropolitan Assembly, on the East by Ledzokuku Krowor Municipal Assembly and on the South by the Gulf of Guinea.

The Assembly has 10 electoral areas.
Source: Ghana News Agency