AMA Confirms President's Nominee

The President's nominee for Chief Executive Officer for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, has received confirmation from the majority members of the Assembly.

Mr Alfred Vanderpuije polled 86 votes out of a total of 88  votes representing 97.7%, with 2 members voting against him representing 2.3%. The house went into a jubilant mood as soon as the electoral officer declared the results.

In his thanksgiving speech, Mr Vanderpuije thanked the President for nominating him and promised to give off his best in spite of the enormous task ahead of him. He was sure that with his leadership and the support of the Presiding Member and members of the Assembly the metropolis will see positive development.

In an earlier election for the Presiding Member none of the two vying candidates - Prof Aya Arma Kwadwo, a lecturer at the University of Ghana and Hon Nii Desmond Addo Biney, Assembly Member for La Bawalashie had the two-thirds majority needed for a clear victory.

In the first round Mr Aya received 30 votes representing 33.3% while Hon Nii Desmond Addo Biney received 57 votes representing 63.7%. In the second round Hon Nii Desmond Addo Biney received 73 votes representing 81.1% with 15 voted against.

In a statement the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, stated that meaningful development cannot take place in an environment full of tension, conflict, hostility, divisiveness and fear adding that individually and collectively members need to help promote peace and harmony among themselves and in their communities to ensure rapid development.

He said the development challenges facing the country, especially in the wake of the current global credit crunch, is enormous and requires the support of all to turn the situation around.

He therefore advised that given the necessary financial and material resources that will come to the District Assemblies in the process of fiscal decentralisation and the devolution of power and authority to local authorities, Hon Assembly Members place themselves in the position to be able to carefully monitor the judicious and effective use of all available resources, for the achievement of planned programmes, goals and targets.

Mr Nii Arma urged all to be mindful of the fact that they have been elected or appointed to work as a team to ensure good governance and accelerated development of their communities for a better metropolis.