4 MMDAs fail to elect Presiding Members

FOUR metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) last Monday failed to elect their Presiding Members (PMs) during the inauguration of the newly constituted local governance institutions.

They are the Yilo Krobo, Lower Manya Krobo, Tema West Municipals and the Accra Metropolitan Assemblies in the Eastern and Greater Accra respectively.

Yilo/Lower Manya Krobo

In the Yilo Krobo Assembly, Isaac Amanor and Edwin Tenge, who stood on the ticket of New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress respectively, could not secure the two-thirds majority.

In the same vein, Emmanuel Angmorteh for Lower Manya Krobo who was the sole candidate could also not secure the two-thirds majority after two times of voting. This means the two municipalities would have to reconvene 10 days later, Ezekiel E. Sottie, reports. 

However, the two assemblies at Somanya and Odumase-Krobo respectively were duly inaugurated with a call on the assembly members to maintain close contact with their respective electoral areas, consult the people on their views and opinions for their effective input at their assembly meetings.

The colourful ceremonies attracted the general public including the traditional leaders in the two traditional areas.

In the Yilo Krobo Municipality, the President was represented by the Board Chairperson of the Ghana Statistical Service, Dr Grace Bediako, while for the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality it was the Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, who is also the NPP Member of Parliament for Bantama in the Ashanti Region.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Yilo Krobo, Eric Tetteh, and MCE for Lower Manya Krobo, Simon Kweku Tetteh, in their separate welcome addresses congratulated the assembly members.

Tema West

Benjamin Xornam Glover reports from Tema that the Tema West Municipal Assembly failed to elect a PM after two voting attempts.

The two contenders, Gilbert Kenneth Mag-Mawuli, an elected Assembly member for the Sakumono Electoral Area, and Emmanuel Essien, a government appointee to the Assembly, could not secure 13 votes (two-thirds majority votes) required to win.

Out of the 18-total ballots cast, Mr Mag-Mawuli polled nine votes, while Mr Essien garnered seven votes, while two ballots were rejected in the second round of voting.

 Earlier in the first round of voting, Mr Mag-Mawuli marshalled 6 votes, while Mr Essien secured 7 votes with a third candidate, Patrick Atitiati Lawer, elected Assembly Member for Railway Electoral Area and a former Presiding Member, obtaining five votes.

Out of the 18 -total ballots cast, the two contenders failed to secure the mandatory 13 votes to be declared winner.

Accra Metro

Pacome Emmanuel Damalie reports that the election of the PM for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly after it was inaugurated took a different turn.

The sole nominee as PM, Alfred Asiedu Adjei, was rejected by the assembly. Mr Adjei secured 12 votes, while 17 voted against him.

The nominee could therefore not secure the two-third majority required in accordance with the Local Government Act to make him the PM of AMA.

Another round of voting is expected to take place at a later date to elect a PM for AMA's ninth assembly.