By Dennis Peprah, GNA
Sunyani, Jan. 23, GNA – Mr. Isaac Kwame
Asiamah, the Minister of Youth and Sports on Thursday inaugurated the Sunyani
East Municipal Assembly (SEMA), and tasked the 49-member Assembly Members (AMs)
to be time-conscious and development-oriented.
He reminded them that the Assembly remained
the pivot of development, thus more was expected of them to take the
development of the Municipality to the next level.
The SMA comprised 34 elected members and 15
government appointees.
Mr Asiamah who read President Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo’s inaugural address, congratulated them and hoped that they would
help in revenue mobilisation to improve on the Assembly’s Internally Generated
Fund (IGF).
He told the members that an increase in their
allowances would depend on the IGF of the Assembly and tasked them to support
Management to devise initiatives that would enhance revenue generation.
Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani
Municipal Chief Executive emphasised the inauguration of the Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Assemblies was a major step in efforts towards
consolidating the gains of Ghana’s grassroot democracy.
She urged them to bury all differences, forge
ahead in unity and help to identify and tackle existing challenges impeding the
development of the Municipality.
This would also enable the Assembly to
initiate policies and programmes that would spur rapid socio-economic growth
and development, the MCE added.
Mad. Owusu-Banahene identified poor sanitation
and springing up of unregulated market structures as major challenges that
required concerted efforts and decisive approach to address.
She said the Assembly also required selfless
and dedicated representatives who would not seek their personal interest
against public good to guarantee its credibility.
Mad. Owusu-Banahene assured the Assembly would
enforce its by-laws to the optimum in promoting environmental cleanliness.
Mr. Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, the Member of
Parliament for Sunyani East reminded them the Assembly was the highest
decision-making body for the development of the Municipality.
He therefore entreated them to promote team
spirit and work hard to justify their elections and appointments by ensuring
that the development needs of their constituents were tackled.
Justice Patrick Biney, a Supervising High
Court Judge in Sunyani swore them into office.
GNA