Kumasi, May 16, GNA – Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, had sworn-in fourteen (14) newly-elected Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) at a ceremony in Kumasi, urging them to be development-oriented.
He said they should work in partnership with all stakeholders to identify potential areas of investment in their respective districts in order to create jobs and alleviate poverty among the masses.
‘Indeed your appointments offer you the rare opportunity to contribute your quota to the development of your areas and that at the end of your tenure, you will be judged, not only by the appointing authority, but particularly by public opinion, as to whether you served them well or not,’ he noted.
The inductees’ nomination, were confirmed by their respective assemblies recently, and included the Ejura-Sekyedumase, Obuasi and Mampong Municipal Assemblies, as well as Adansi-South, Afigya-Kwabre, Asante-Akim North, Ahafo-Ano North and Ahafo-Ano South Districts.
The rest are Amansie-Central, Sekyere- Kumawu, Sekyere-Central, Sekyere-Afram Plains, Atwima-Mponua and Amansie-West Districts.
This brings to twenty-three (23) the number of Chief Executives who had so far been sworn into office in accordance with Article 243 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, following their successful approval by the assemblies.
Mr. Osei-Mensah advised the Chief Executives to adhere to the implementation of the Local Governance Act 936 of 2016 and Legislative Instrument (LI) 1961, which were currently in force.
These laws, he stated, imposed greater responsibilities on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to supervise staff of the decentralized departments to bring efficiency in the discharge of their duties.
The Regional Minister said they were expected to check absenteeism, lateness and also ensure that every worker did what was expected of him or her.
He announced that an orientation course would soon be organized for the Chief Executives to keep them abreast of their core responsibilities within the context of the government’s socio-economic policies.
Mr. Osei-Mensah advised the inductees to be transparent and accountable in their activities, saying they needed to work assiduously for the judicious utilization of assembly resources.
GNA
By Stephen Asante, GNA
