Akuapem North gets new MCE, Presiding Member

The President’s nominee for the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Akuapem North in the Eastern Region, Mr Berima Asiedu Larbi, yesterday received an overwhelming endorsement from members of the assembly at Akropong.

Mr Larbi, who was nominated after the former MCE, Mr Denis Aboagye, was dismissed by the President, polled 45 out of 46 votes with one against, representing 98.1 per cent at the election conducted by the Municipal Directorate of the Electoral Commission (EC) led by the Municipal Electoral Officer for Akuapem North, Mr Solomon Agaaga,

Mr Larbi was sworn in, to loud cheers and applause from his supporters who graced the occasion, by the Circuit Court Judge of Akropong, Mrs Arit Nsemoh.

He thanked the assembly members for the confidence reposed in him and stated that his approval was a call to duty.

Development agenda

Mr Larbi appealed to all the assembly members and other stakeholders to work hard to advance the development agenda of the district for the benefit of the people.

He expressed his gratitude to the chiefs for their wise counsel which had aided the development of the district in the past and appealed to them to continue to support his administration spiritually and morally in its quest to better the lives of the people.

Mr Larbi further pledged that his administration would continue to commit itself to the areas of infrastructural development, poverty reduction programmes and the extension of electricity to various parts of the district.

He thanked the President for nominating him to occupy the MCE position.

New Presiding Member

Later the 45 out of 46 assembly members also elected Nana Asiedu Offei as the new Presiding Member (PM) for the assembly, a position that had been vacant for a long time.

Nana Offei in an address called for total unity to enhance development.

He said it was about time the assembly members buried their differences and forged ahead in unity to bring more development to the area.

"We need development for the electoral areas we represent and, therefore, we should all come together and work to raise the image of the municipality,” he said.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour, commended the Assembly Members for their sense of maturity and for their overwhelming endorsement of the President’s nominee.

He advised the Assembly Members to desist from divisive acts such as gossiping, back biting, name calling and insults among others.

Mr Darfour called on them to work closely with the new MCE and the presiding member for the betterment of the municipality.