Garu-Tempane confirms President's nominee

Garu (U/E), Sept 29, GNA - Mr Joseph Kpemka Dindiok, the President's nominee for the post of District Chief Executive for the Garu-Tempane District was on Thursday confirmed by members of the Assembly.

Mr Dindiok polled 25 votes out of 26 ballots cast. The assembly has a membership of 32, with 22 serving in elective positions while 10 are appointed. The position became vacant following the withdrawal of the former DCE, Emmanuel Asigri, to the President's office. The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhassan Samari acted as the DCE until the confirmation of Mr Dindiok.

Per the 1992 constitution, the local government Act and standing orders of the assemblies, there was the need for the president to nominate a suitable candidate to be confirmed or rejected by the assembly. Mr Dindiok, a teacher by profession and also the Presiding Member (PM) for the Garu-Tempane assembly had to resign from that position before he was inducted into office by Mr Alhassan Samari, after swearing the Oath of office and secrecy.

Mr Samari, who addressed the members of the assembly earlier, reminded them of the unity and purposefulness that has existed in the assembly and said it was time to confirm it by ensuring that they approve Mr Dindiok's nomination.

Mr Dindiok's nomination is tactical because being a Bimoba; he is expected to use his neutrality to unify the people, who are predominantly Kusasis and Mamprusis.

It is also to sustain the peace and stability in the area, especially considering recent ethnic conflict that has bedevilled the Bawku traditional area.

Mr Dindiok commended members of the assembly for the trust reposed in him and said "I am humbly asking for your cooperation and assistance, just as you gave me during my tenure of office as the Presiding Member." He thanked President John Agyekum Kufuor for the honour done him and said even though the country has a few months before the elections, he would mobilize the available resources to wage a relentless war on poverty, ignorance and disease, which are the main issues confronting the district. The new DCE called on the people to gather courage and shun politicians, who would preach mayhem and division in the area and appealed to the security personnel in the district to deal decisively with such culprits.

The occasion was also used to elect Mr Solomon Awini, a Banker, as the new PM for the assembly.

Mr Awini, who served as PM with the then Bawku East District assembly before the creation of the Garu-Tempane district, emphasised the need for continued unity, to enable the assembly to achieve its development targets and pledged to be fair in dealing with all issues raised at the assembly's meetings. The new PM was sworn into office by the Bawku Municipal circuit court judge, Mr Alex Ofori.