Assemblies reminded of their responsibilities towards communities

Koforidua, Oct. 7, GNA - Mr Julius Debrah, the Chief of Staff, has reminded Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, of their responsibilities towards the current and future developments of their various communities.

He urged the Assembly Members not to under-rate themselves, and to see their Assemblies as local parliaments with powers and the responsibility to influence the development of their communities.

Mr Debrah gave the reminder at the formal inauguration of the 78-member New Juaben Municipal Assembly in Koforidua.

Mr Debrah who read the President's inaugural address, also swore into office the 78 Assembly Members.

Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South, urged Assemblies to reduce their dependence on government support and the Common Fund.

He explained that an Assembly like the New Juaben Municipal Assembly, had the capacity to generate more funds for both recurrent expenditure and for development.

The MP urged the new Assembly to focus on how to find solutions to the recent flooding of some parts of the Municipality whenever it rained.

Earlier in a welcoming address, the Municipal Chief Executive, Dr Kweku Owusu Acheampong, said the Assembly was made up of 54 elected members and 24 government appointees with 30 being former Assembly Members.

However, he said the former six elected female members of the Assembly had been reduced to three.

The Chairman of the function, Baafour Nyantakyi Boateng Tutu, Acting Chairman of the New Juaben Traditional Council, urged the new assembly to take a second look at the permit it had granted for the construction of a petro filling station at the round-about on the Akwadum road.

He explained that the site for the filling station was where the storm drain for the area passed, and therefore the construction of the station could obstruct the free flow of the water when it rained and that could course flooding of the area.

GNA