Kassena-Nankana, Builsa Districts Get New DCEs

Navrongo (U/E), June 9, GNA - Two District Assemblies in the Upper East Region, the Kassena-Nankana and Builsa Districts, on Wednesday endorsed the President's nominees for the post of District Chief Executive. Mr. Emmanuel Aoyi Achegiweh, 48, a Mechanical Engineer with the Irrigation Company of the Upper Region (ICOUR) and Mr. Thomas Kofi Alonsi, a lawyer, had a field day when their Assembly members voted overwhelmingly to confirm them as DCEs for the Kassena-Nankana and Builsa Districts respectively.

In the case of the Kassen-Nankana District assembly, 69 assembly members out of a total of 78 were present and voted. Out of the number, 66 voted "yes" representing 95.6 per cent to confirm Mr. Achegiweh, who is also an elected member and works Chairman of the Assembly. Three members voted against his nomination. The Kassena-Nankana District Assembly, after the 2000 election had several sittings before it reached a consensus in electing a presiding member. It, therefore, came as a surprise when the assembly this time had a one-go ballot to confirm a DCE.

Mr. Achegiweh thanked the members of the assembly for the trust reposed in him and pledged to remain neutral in serving the people, adding that as a member of the assembly, he was aware of the problems militating against the development of the area and would endeavour to bring his expertise to bear on deliberations to bring about rapid progress. He said to achieve this he had categorized his vision into three broad areas, including promoting agriculture for sustainable food security and job creation, facilitating the creation of a separate district to make the administration of the district easier, as well as deal with the health, water and sanitation problems in the area.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Boniface Gambila, who was at the meeting to observe the process commended the assembly members for exhibiting maturity in confirming Mr. Achegiweh. He charged the new DCE to show good leadership qualities to facilitate the smooth development of the area. Mr. Gambila noted that the smooth conduct of the confirmation process is a testimony that Ghana is maturing in dispensing democracy, and advised members of the assembly to cooperate with the DCE so as to bring the needed development to the area.

At Sandema, the Builsa District capital, out of the 60-member assembly, 50 were present and voted. Forty-nine of them voted in favour of the president's nominee, Mr. Thomas Kofi Alonsi, representing 98 per cent of the total votes cast. There was one spoilt ballot. The Deputy Minister for the Upper East Region, Mr. Ahmed Awudu Yirimeah, commended members of the assembly for the display of unity of purpose and expressed the hope that they would extend the same co-operation to the DCE when he assumes office.

Reverend James Agalic, the out-going DCE, expressed gratitude to members of the assembly for their cooperation during his tenure of office and pledged to avail his expertise to his successor to ensure that the area gets the needed development. Mr. Alonsi called for teamwork from members of the assembly and appealed to them to make available their experiences whenever the need arises so that together they could convey government policies and programmes to the people.