The Offinso Municipal Assembly inaugurated the eighth (8th) Assembly on Monday, 12th February, 2024 at the Assembly Hall at Offinso.
The meeting started at 10:30am with a prayer said by: Rev. Anthony Owusu Addai
INTRODUCTION OF CHAIRMAN
The Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Majeed Abdul Mohammed introduced to the house Nana Dwamena Akenten the II as the chairman of the occasion.
CHAIRMAN’S RESPONSE
Nana Dwamena Akenten II thanked the organizers of the programme for the honor done him as the Chairman of the inauguration ceremony. He urged everybody to collaborate in order to make the programme successful.
ROLL CALL
The Municipal Coordinating Director, conducted a roll call of the Assembly members and government appointees present. All the Forty three (43) members were present.
DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S WELCOME REMARKS
The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon Kingsley Owusu-Appiah expressed his heartfelt thanks and appreciation to members and congratulated them on their new appointment. He urged them to collaborate with him to ensure that the development agenda of the municipality was achieved. He indicated that the Assembly member position was handed over to them by the people to represent them, therefore they should always think about the welfare of the people who voted for them first before any other consideration. He advised them to make meaningful and constructive contributions to help bring development to the municipality.
He also indicated that the work of the Assembly man was a sacrificial one, therefore members should be dedicated to serve the interest of their respective electoral areas.
SWEARING IN OF THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
Her worship Madam Christiana Bruce Ashirifie, swore in all the members by administering the following:
- Oath of office
- Oath of secrecy
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FROM THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
The Member of Parliament of the Offinso South Constituency, Hon Dr. Issac Yaw Opoku, in his address, congratulated and wished the newly elected and appointed members a successful tenure of office. He urged them to work in tandem with the municipal Chief Executive for the betterment of the Municipality.
Hon Dr Isaac Yaw Opoku, urged members to be tolerant of each other and embraced divergent views. He appealed to them to desist from the use of vulgar language on social media platforms but rather discuss issues that would propel the development agenda of the municipality.
SPEECH DELIVERERD BY THE PRESIDENT’S REPRESENTATIVE
In his address to the Assembly, Hon Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana (MP), and Deputy Minister for Transport delivered a speech on behalf of the President to the house. He urged members to deliberate, plan, mobilize resources, make decisions including by-laws to ensure the transformation of the municipality towards the Ghana we all want.He congratulated them on the feat achieved and wished them well in their endearvours.
ELECTION OF A PRESIDING MEMBER
Two members were nominated for the Presiding Membership Position. Hon. Brefo Boahen Vegas of Namong East and Hon. Kwabena Nsiah of Namong West were the nominees.
After the conduction of the first and second rounds of elections, none of the nominees obtained the required two thirds of the total valid votes cast. Therefore the meeting was adjourned to the next ten days as enshrined in the Local Governance Act, 2016 Act 936.
CLOSING REMARKS BY NANA DWAMENA AKENTEN II
The chairman of the occasion, Nana Dwamena Akenten II congratulated all the members and encouraged them to strive hard to focus on the development agenda of the Municipality.
On issues relating to proper demarcation, zoning and allocation of lands in the Municipality.
Nana Dwamena Akenten II, encouraged Hon. Assembly Members to ensure compliance to building rules and regulation to avoid flood and other related disasters.
ELECTION OF PRESIDING MEMBER
OPENING REMARKS
The election of a Presiding Member was first held on Monday, 12th February, 2024 during the inauguration of the 8th Assembly of the Offinso Municipal Assembly but the exercise could not produce a clear winner since none of the two nominees contesting for the position obtained two thirds majority of the total valid votes cast after a second round of voting.
However, Hon. Kwabena Nsiah was declared the Presiding Member in an election organized on Wednesday 21st February, 2024 at the Assembly Hall of the Offinso Municipal Assembly, he polled 31 out of the total valid votes cast(43), representing 72.1%. He was immediately sworn in by the magistrate of the Offinso District Court, Her Worship, Madam Christiana Bruce Ashirifie.
In his acceptance speech, Hon. Kwabena Nsiah thanked the house for reposing their confidence in him by voting overwhelmingly in his favour. He urged members to give him their unflinching support in order to bring development to the Municipality.
