Upper East Region confirms seven out of thirteen DCEs

Seven out of the thirteen Municipal and District Chief Executives nominated by the President Nana Addo, in the Upper East region have been confirmed so far whilst the fate of three others is in the balance as they await a second round of voting.

In Nabdam, Garu-Tempane, Pusiga, Builsa North and South, Zebilla and Kassena Nankana Municipal, assembly members respectively endorsed their various DCEs.

Meanwhile, assembly members at Talensi and Kassena Nankana East districts assemblies could not confirm their respective Presidential nominees.

Radio Ghana's Upper East regional correspondent, Dangmaa Felix Lambert, who compiled this report, observed that the election of presiding members before that of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives is affecting smooth proceedings at some assemblies.

Considering the agitation that characterised the nomination of some MMDCEs in the Upper East region and the country, one would have expected a tough confirmation process coupled with some level of disappointment.

There were disappointments but, one notable development which equally took centre stage and affected the various assembly electoral processes to determine the confirmation or otherwise DCEs, is the election of presiding members.

Section 10 (1) of the Standing Order of the assembly stipulates the need for a presiding member of each assembly, who shall be elected from among the members of the assembly.

Regarding this, some assemblies, including Pusiga and Builsa North, in bid to follow due process, needed a presiding officer before any other business at the assembly could commence.

For instance, in the Garu-Tempane District, the move to elect a presiding member was part of a four-hour closed door consultation.

After the successful election of a presiding member, the Presidential nominee as District Chief Executive for the Garu-Tempane District, Emmanuel Asore Avoka, was consequently confirmed by the assembly.

Mr. Avoka achieved 36 out of the 43 votes representing 84%.

The entire assembly was in a state of jubilation after the Electoral Commission declared the results.

In his victory speech after being sworn in, Mr. Avoka thanked the President Nana Akufu Addo for the confidence in him. He announced that he is operating an open-door policy.

To this effect, he expects the collaboration, ideas and experience of all assembly members, NGOs and other stakeholders to develop the Garu-Tempane district.

He announced that his priority areas, which are in line with the government development agenda, include: security, health, agriculture, and education.

At Pusiga, the agenda for electing a DCE was put on hold for about five hours due to the search for a presiding member.

Again, after several hours of consultations coupled with two rounds of voting, a presiding member was elected to lead the meeting.

Finally, the President’s nominee for DCE, Zubeidu Abdulai had 20 votes representing 100 percent.

The Builsa South assembly had a presiding member, which aided the fast tracking of the election process and subsequent confirmation of the President’s nominee as DCE, Daniel Gariba Kwame.

He achieved 26 out of the 27 votes representing 96%.

Meanwhile, after about four hours of consultations and two rounds of elections, the Builsa North assembly could not elect a presiding member.

In cases where there is no presiding member, an interim presiding member should and was appointed to lead meetings and to oversee to the confirmation or otherwise of the DCE.

Eventually, David Afoko, whose nomination sparked agitation among the NPP youth in the area, earned 30 votes out of the 43 cast, representing 69.7 percent.

Mr. Afoko, thanked the President for his appointment and expressed the desire to work with the MP, the youth and natives to develop.