Garu, Talensi assemblies endorse DCEs, while Bawku ends in stalemate

Garu (U/E), June 11, GNA - The two newly created districts in the Upper East Region, Garu-Tempane and Talensi-Nabdam, now have substantive District Chief Executives (DCEs), as members of these assemblies unanimously endorsed the President's nominees for the post on Thursday. At Garu, 24 out of the 28-member Assembly voted. Mr Sin-Yel Asigri's nomination was confirmed with 23 votes in his favour and one against. At Tongo, 31 assembly members out of the 36 were present. Twenty-six members voted in favour of the President's nominee, Mr Sabastian Tibil Bisnab, while five voted against.

In their acceptance remarks, both Mr Asigri and Mr Bisnab thanked members of their respective assemblies for the confidence reposed in them, and pledged to work diligently to justify the honour done them by President J. A. Kufuor.

The Regional Minister, Mr Boniface Gambila, who witnessed the confirmation at Tongo called on DCEs to refrain from discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, religion or political affiliation in the performance of their duties. He noted that the district needed a lot of development in infrastructure to enable it to stand on its feet, and urged members of the assembly to make the fight against poverty their main priority.

Mr Gambila announced that the Regional Coordinating Council was currently negotiating with a private investor towards the reactivation of the Pwalugu Tomato Factory next year. He urged the people of the area to mobilize resources and purchase shares in the factory. The Regional Minister later on Thursday inaugurated the reconstituted Bawku East Municipal Assembly at Bawku. The 48-member assembly comprises 33 elected and 15 appointed members. He said the inauguration of the assembly was only a first step towards making it fully functional, and urged members of the House to ensure the successful completion of the process by electing their Presiding Member and confirming the President's nominee for the post of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE).

Mr Gambila noted with satisfaction the improved security situation in the Bawku Municipality. "By this, the people of Bawku have shown the way, and Government would continue to support the course of lasting peace in the municipality", he said. The inaugural ceremony was followed by the election of the assembly's Presiding Member.

Mr John Agobre was the only nominee for the post, and out of 42 assembly members present, 33 voted in his favour, eight voted against his election, with one rejected ballot. Mr Agobre was, therefore, duly elected Presiding Member.

However, there was a stalemate when it came to the endorsement of Mr Abdul-Rahman Gumah, the President's nominee for the post of MCE. Twenty-five out of 42 assembly members voted in his favour, while 17 voted against his confirmation. Mr Gumah was thus unable to secure the required two-thirds majority for a successful endorsement. The Assembly decided to reconvene on Friday, June 17, 2005 for another round of ballot to confirm the nominated MCE or otherwise. Staff of the Regional Directorate of the Electoral Commission conducted the exercise, whiles Mr Alex Owusu Ofori, Bawku Circuit Court Judge, swore the Assembly members and Presiding member into office.

Also present to witness the event were Mr Ahmed Awudu Yiremeah, Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Francis Afoko, Member of Council of State, and the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Barfuor Awuah.