Wamfie (B/A), Mar. 1, GNA- Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, on Friday inaugurated a reconstituted 28-member Assembly at Wamfie to usher in the newly created Dormaa East District Assembly.
Highlights of the inaugural ceremony included the swearing in of the Assembly Members by Mr Justice Sam Nibi, a magistrate's court judge and the election of Nana Owusu Adumre, Benkumhene of Dormaa Gyase division as the new Assembly's Presiding Member. Known in private life as Kofi Asamoah, the Presiding Member is the deputy Ashanti regional Director of the Controller and Accountant General's Department.
Delivering President Kufuor's inaugural address, the Regional Minister declared that the creation of the 31 new municipal and District Assemblies nationwide was in furtherance of the government's commitment to empowering the people to initiate accelerated development from the grassroots.
He said the new Assemblies had been empowered to initiate policies and implement programmes to help improve the lot of the people in education, health, provision of electricity and water, among others. The Regional Minister reminded the new Assembly that its ability to live up to expectation of the people partially depended on efficient revenue mobilization through its limited taxation and licensing powers. He therefore urged the Assembly to adopt innovative ways and methods to enhance voluntary payment of taxes by the people for development.
Mr Baffour-Awuah charged the Assembly Members as well as the administrative staff to exhibit transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties, saying such qualities would naturally endear them to those they would serve.
He appealed to individuals and identifiable organisations in the district to unite in their commitment to the accelerated growth of the new district.
Squadron Leader Ben Anane Asamoah (rtd), Dormaa Municipal Chief Executive, thanked people in the Dormaa Traditional Area, particularly opinion leaders, through whose tireless efforts the government had granted the new district.
He expressed the hope that the creation of the Dormaa East district would beef up the area's original share of the District Assemblies common fund for rapid socio-economic development.
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu 11, President of the Dormaa traditional council, who presided, expressed his gratitude to the government for not only creating a new district for the area but also elevating the mother district into a municipal status.
He assured the government of the people's readiness to provide the necessary support and co-operation to the Assembly's programmes to ensure that the best benefits were derived from the decentralization process.
Osagyefo Agyeman Badu commended individuals in the district, who had committed their buildings to be used temporarily as offices and staff accommodation for the Assembly's workers.
He, on behalf of the traditional council, pledged to provide all the cement that would be needed for the construction of the new Assembly's permanent office building.
