The Ninth Assembly of the Ho Municipal Assembly has re-elected Mawunyo Agbe as its Presiding Member.
He held the position in the last Assembly and was endorsed by 37 of the total 45 members, which included the Member of Parliament (MP), and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE).
The election was held immediately after the inauguration of the Ninth Assembly, and which has 43 members among, which were government appointees including some traditional leaders.
The Presiding Member was commended for among others, his role in getting the Assembly to pass a resolution on property rate collection, making Ho Municipal one of only two in the country to introduce the collection regime.
Mr. Agbe, in an acceptance speech, called for collaboration, participation, and unity in making the Assembly better, and promised refined leadership that would carry all along to support the MCE and stakeholders develop the Municipality.
Mr Divine Bosson, the MCE, called for a strong resolve towards enhancing local revenue generation, and appealed to traditional leaders to support the Assembly with the needed collaboration.
“We cannot keep depending on the central government for everything,” he said while encouraging the Assembly to maintain its successes as more well-meaning individuals joined its ranks.
Mr Bosson called to attention the issue of drug use among youths in the Municipality, and said through collaboration with traditional rulers, the issue could be addressed.
“This should be the best Assembly in the 4th Republic,” he said while urging members to eschew party politics and to work hard for the success of the Regional Capital.
Mr Benjamin Kpodo, the MP of Ho Central Constituency, called on the Assembly to consider service to the Municipality above all interest.
He commended the numerous reforms realised by the past Assembly, notably in financial decentralisation, and said the institution should continue to play a lead role in local governance.
“Let a new wind blow in running the Assembly. You should be more outspoken and respect each other. We should be decorous and show maximum respect,” the MP said.
Mr Sam Okudzeto, Member of Council of State representing the Volta Region, said district assemblies remained a critical part of the governance architecture, and that Members need to work towards deepening decentralisation.
He entreated Assemblies, as a mandate, to advance the Government’s economic program of job creation by aligning action plans accordingly.
In what was considered the first sitting following the inauguration, a resolution was passed to adopt the Ewe language as an official mode of communication.
GNA
MA/AD
February 12, 2024
Pic attached
