Jomoro Assembly fails to elect presiding member

The Jomoro District Assembly in the Western Region has failed to elect a new presiding member after two rounds of voting as none of the contenders obtained the required 34 votes.

The presiding member should at least obtain 34 votes representing 67 percent of the 51-member Assembly.

Mr Kwabena Asante, District Electoral Officer made this known to the Ghana News Agency at Half Assini on Monday in an interview at his office.

He said the contenders were Mr George Amenlamah Blay-Morkeh, Educationist and government appointee of the Assembly and Mr Moses Andoh, Consultant and Elubo West Assembly member.

According to Mr Asante, in the first round of voting, Mr Blay-Morkeh polled 28 votes representing 54.9 percent of the house while Mr Andoh had seven votes representing 13.7 percent and 11 rejected ballot papers.

He said Mr Andoh stepped down in the second round but Mr Blay-Morkeh, the only contender obtained 29 “yes votes” representing 56.8 percent while there were 13 “no votes” against him and five rejected ballot papers.

The Electoral Officer said Mr Blay-Morkeh fell short of five votes so was not elected by the house thus leaving the Presiding Member position vacant.

The occasion was graced by the presence of the Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Wing Commander, Francis Kabenlah Annaman (Rtd).