National Association of Presiding Members formed… To fight for rights of assembly members

A National Association of Presiding Members has been formed to fight for the interest, rights and welfare of assembly members.

At a meeting in Kumasi, during which a draft constitution for the association was adopted by a 10 member Interim Committee, the presiding members asked for an ex-gratia of at least 30% of the GH¢45,000 earmarked for each Metropolitan/Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), for assembly members.

They also called for the provision of well furnished offices, and a secretary, as directed by the then Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, the late Kwadwo Baah Wiredu.

According to the presiding members, their demand was occasioned by the fact that the welfare of assembly members has not been well catered for over the years.

The yet-to-be-inaugurated association, also recommended that all contracts entered into by the various Metro/Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), should be done in accordance with the Model Standing Orders and Act 462, P.17, and order 64 and 66 (1) and (22).

The idea to form the Association of Presiding Members was mooted during the 16th Bi-Annual Conference of National Association of Local Authority of Ghana (NALAG) in Kumasi recently.

Nana Kofi Senya, Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), is the Chairman of the Interim Committee charged to prepare the grounds for the inauguration of the association in due course.

Other members of the Committee are, Kwesi Esseku of the Awutu Senya Assembly, Secretary and Rep of the Central Region; Clare C Der of Lambussie-Karni, as Treasurer and Rep of the Upper West Region, and Emmanuel Nikoi Dsane of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, Member and Rep of Greater Accra.

The rest are Sumani M. Abukari of the Tolon-Kumbungu Assembly, (Northern Region), Joseph Adongo of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly (Upper East Region), Edith Akpoto of Hohoe Municipal Assembly (Volta Region), Gabriel Kofi Kyeremeh of the Jaman South Assembly (Brong Ahafo), S. A. Apenteng of the Akuapem North Assembly (Eastern Region), Alexander Hedidor of the Aowin-Suaman Assembly (Western Region) and Desmond Addo-Biney of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Rep for the Greater Accra Region.