6th attempt to elect Presiding Member for Bawku West fails

The Bawku West District Assembly has for the sixth time in 12 rounds of voting since last year, failed to elect a presiding member for the Assembly.

At the last round of voting on Thursday, none of the two assembly members aspiring for Assembly’s speakership post managed to poll the two-thirds of the total votes cast as required by law.

Assembly member for Yelwoko Electoral Area, Jacob Kwabena Atinga, polled 20 votes representing 39.22 per cent while the member for Binaba Electoral area, Moses Appiah Agana, secured 28 votes representing 54.9 per cent after a second round of voting Thursday.

Atinga had 18 votes at the end of the first round of voting while his contender, Agana secured 30 votes.

The two contestants still have the chance to run for the position again when a new date is set.

A total of 48 assembly members were present for the election which attracted 10 divisional chiefs in the Bawku West District the venue. One Assembly member was absent.

The Assembly is composed of 34 elected members and 15 government appointees with the District Chief Executive (DCE) and Member of Parliament (MP) as ex-officio members.

The two have been battling for the presiding membership position since it became vacant after the former presiding member appointment was revoked by the President, Nana Akufo- Addo.

Naba Issifu Akebenlingo II who spoke on behalf of the chiefs before the assembly members went into the first round of voting called on the members to bury their differences for the sake of development in the area.

In disappointment, he and the other chiefs left the venue after the first voting.

The District chief executive, Victoria Ayamba, said the assembly needs to put in place all the necessary structures to facilitate development and that, without a presiding member, it will be difficult to steer the affairs of the assembly and execution of government policies.

Ms Ayamba noted that with a presiding member in place, the Assembly can reconstitute the various subcommittees to facilitate decision making and implementation of projects and programmes of the Assembly.

Acting regional minister for upper east and Member of Parliament for Zebilla earlier pleaded with the assembly members to elect a presiding member to enable them facilitate the work of the Assembly.

By 3news.com|Ghana