General News of Sunday, 15 March 2015
Source: GNA
The Conference of Regional Ministers has recommended that immediate measures be put in place to ensure early conduct of the pending District Level Elections (DLE) although it acknowledges efforts being made to resolve it.
The DLE was scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, but the Supreme Court ordered the Electoral Commission (EC) to suspend it describing it as “unconstitutional”, after an aspiring candidate, Mr. Benjamin Eyi Mensah sued the EC for preventing him to file his nomination.
The recommendation was contained in a communiqué read out by Mr. Aquinas Tawiah Quansah Central Regional Minster and Chairman of the Conference, at the close of the 4th Regional Ministers’ Conference of the Sixth Government of the Fourth Republic held at Elmina.
The Three-day Conference was on the theme “Working together with the 7th District Assemblies for National Development”.
The conference resolved to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to create a congenial atmosphere for the DLE and also strengthen the working relationship between the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.
It acknowledged the importance of the Directive Principles of State Policy and resolved to support all efforts to ensure it enforcement but recommended that action to be expedited on the implementation of the Regional Integration Budget.
It also resolved to vigorously support efforts at securing additional sources of funding for the RCCs to perform their statutory functions, as far as practicable, recognizing its essence in developmental efforts and governance.
The Conference also recommended a conscious efforts to promote national unity and also called for the revival of the National Boundary Resolution Committees to help resolve outstanding inter-district and inter-regional boundary disputes.
On the current energy crisis, the conference acknowledged efforts made so far by the Government to resolve it and called on Ghanaians to exercise the needed patience as lasting solution were sought.
It expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for his dedicated leadership and also the confidence reposed in them and pledged to support him to deliver on his mandate.
The conference expressed gratitude to Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, the Ministry of Local Government, Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee, Traditional Leaders and all those who contributed to the success of the conference.
The Conference visited the Cape Coast Sports Stadium and the New Kotokuraba Market to acquaint themselves with progress of work.