Fanfare, merry-making characterise assemblies' inauguration in W/R

Daboase (W/R),Oct. 31, GNA - Fanfare and merry making heralded the simultaneous inauguration of all 13 district assemblies and the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly in the Western Region at separate ceremonies in Sekondi and the various district capitals on Monday. Government officials read the President's inaugural address and observed the election and swearing-in of presiding members as well as new members of the fifth assembly.

Chiefs and other opinion leaders, heads of decentralised government departments, former assembly members, Members of Parliament, school children and a cross section of the public attended the ceremonies. Inaugurating the Mpohor Wassa East District Assembly at Daboase, Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister for Lands, Mines and Forestry, urged the members to ensure that the overall improvement of the people's lives became their cardinal objective irrespective of their political leanings.

Assembly members, he said, should always uphold the principles of probity and accountability and refrain from using their offices for personal gains.

Professor Fobih urged the new assembly members to strategise and find new means of enhancing internally generated funds and regard the district assemblies' common fund and other assistance from the central government as supplementary to their development efforts. Mr Edward Tawiah Amprofi, District Chief Executive, expressed his gratitude to members of the previous assembly during which he said the District registered "giant strides" in its development agenda. He said during the period, the Assembly generated a total income of about 27 billion cedis for the execution of more than 160 development projects to enhance its poverty reduction programme. Mr Justice Ofosu Quartey, a High Court Judge, swore members numbering 45, including six women into office. Professor Fobih had earlier inaugurated the 71-member Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly at Sekondi.

At Asankrangwa, Mr Alan Kyeremanten, Minister of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiatives (PSIs) inaugurated the 48-member Wassa Amenfi West District Assembly with a call on members to forge ahead in unity and conduct their businesses in the best interest of the people.

He urged them to encourage the people to honour their tax obligations to enable the Assembly to executive projects that would enhance their lives.

Mr Thomas Terkyi, District Chief Executive, promised to lead the people to achieve accelerated development.

"I will continue to pilot the plane for accelerated development of the District", he said and appealed for cooperation and understanding from the members and the people.

For the past four years, Mr. Terkyi said the Assembly had been working hard to overcome under-development, ignorance, squalor, abject poverty and disease among the people.

He announced that the first phase of the rehabilitation of 4.8 kilometres of streets in Asankrangwa would soon begin and that the Assembly had already taken delivery of 100 sets of street bulbs for the Asankrangwa street lighting system.

Under the electrification programme, electricity from the national grid would soon be extended to a number of communities including Bisaaso, Mumuni Camp, Ohiama Tuo and Woman-no-good.

Mr Terkyi stressed the need for the new assembly members to do away with political affiliations and work together to improve the lives of the people.

"Our interests must be to serve the people well so that at the end of it all we can confidently say that we have played our roles to conquer underdevelopment, disease, squalor, ignorance and poverty," he added.

At Half-Assini, Mr O B Amoah, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports inaugurated the 45-member Jomoro District Assembly that included five women.

He urged the members to wo rk hard to enhance development of the District to give real meaning to the decentralisation policy. Mr Martin Nyamikeh Ackah, District Chief Executive, called for unity and cooperation for the implementation of the Assembly's development programmes.