By Stephen Asante, GNA
Kumasi, Jan. 27, GNA – Members of the Kumasi
Metropolitan Assembly have been entreated to always resort to laid down
internal mechanisms to address their grievances rather than going public to
seek redress.
“If there are issues we are not clear about,
let us find out the facts from the relevant quarters instead of taking to the
media to debate such issues,” Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, the Mayor of Kumasi,
advised.
He cautioned against the use of public
platforms to raise “unfounded allegations” against fellow members and staff of
the Assembly and condemned such practices as it contravened the Assembly’s
Standing Orders.
Mr. Assibey-Antwi was addressing an inaugural
ceremony of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to usher in the 60
newly-constituted members at the Rattray Park.
He reminded the 40 elected members and 20
government appointees that they occupied honourable positions and would require
to work assiduously to earn respect and dignity of the public.
He indicated that their duties entailed a lot
of sacrifice as stated in Section 16 (2) of the Local Government Act, 2016 (Act
936).
Consequently, it was expected of them to
discharge their duties dispassionately and in a non-partisan manner- working
effectively with all stakeholders in order to achieve the collective objectives
of the Assembly.
“Allowing ourselves to be divided into
factions will be detrimental to our common goal,” Mr. Assibey-Antwi, urged,
adding, “Let us discuss issues based on facts and not trivialities and
controversies.”
After two rounds of voting supervised by the
Electoral Commission (EC), members elected Mr. Stephen Ofori, the Assembly
Member for Amakom as the Presiding Member for the eighth Kumasi Metropolitan
Assembly.
Notable personalities that witnessed the
inaugural ceremony included Baffour Owusu Amankwatia, the Chief of Bantama in
Kumasi, who chaired the occasion, the Majority Leader and Minister of
Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, who represented President
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
GNA