Tema East fails to elect Sub-Metro chairman

The newly inaugurated members of the Tema East Sub-Metropolitan District Council of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly yesterday failed to elect a chairman to head the council.

Two candidates, who vied for the position, Eric Kojo Twusmasi, Assembly Member for Harbour Electoral Area and Joseph Ashitey Lartey, a government appointee, failed to obtain the required votes.

This compelled the Tema Metropolitan Electoral Officer, Nana Oduro Numapau, to postpone the election.

However, council members of the Tema West Sub-Metro were able to confirm Joseph Boahene as the chairman after he went unopposed.

Earlier, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey, who inaugurated members of the sub metro, tasked the members of the council, which is made of Assembly members, to live up to expectation of the people they will be serving.

He said that the sub-metro has been mandated to deepen democracy in the local communities in order to enhance the work of the Metropolitan, Municipal District Assembly (MMDAs) in areas of revenue mobilization, budget planning, project monitoring, street naming, special development and protection of assembly properties, among others.

Hon. Ashitey asked members of the council to support the assembly and the President to achieve their aims.

He expressed worry that the sub-metro, zonal, town and area council have not been functioning as expected.

The Minister, therefore, challenged Chief Executives of the Assemblies in the Greater Accra Region to equip the assemblies with adequate logistics and staff to function effectively and efficiently.

He urged the sub-metro council members to give off their best by cooperating effectively with staff of the assembly and operating in line with the standing orders of the sub metro.

Mr. Ashitey reminded them of their duty to serve the people in their various communities to improve their lives and make them part of their decision-making process.

On his part, Felix Mensah Annang-La, Mayor of Tema, appealed to the council members to do everything possible to support the assembly to achieve its aim.

He commended the former chairmen of all the sub-metros for their contributions to the development of the communities.