For the ninth time, the KMA has failed to elect a presiding member, the two candidates failed to pull the required 98 votes that represents two-third majority to become a presiding member.
What has been the setback in electing a presiding member? Are the assembly members representing their own interest or the electorates?
The Local Government Acts 462 Section 16, Subsection 1 stipulates that a member of the District Assembly shall as appropriate (a) maintain close contact with and consult the people of the electoral area on issues to discuss in the assembly collate their views and opinion and proposals to the district assembly. Subsection (2) a member of the district assembly shall in the performance of functions under this act have due regard to the national interest and the interest of the people in the district.
The Assembly Members in Kumasi obviously are not acting in the interest of the people. Why can’t they for the interest of the people settle on one candidate to become the presiding member? If you say you want an elected assembly member to become the presiding member, it can be done. Section 17 of the LG Act further states that a presiding member shall be elected by at least two-third of the total members of the Assembly. A presiding member shall cease to hold office when the assembly by majority of the two-third of the total number of the members of assembly vote to remove the presiding member from office.
I suggest if they want an elected assembly member to become the presiding member, agree on one person , if that person fails to deliver you have the right to remove that person from office.
This calls into question our own laws and how we go about these issues. The hypocrisy of the political system in this country has caused us this trouble. We talk about a non-partisan District Assembly when the reverse is the situation on the round. These people are clearly engaged in partisan politics, those appointed as government appointees are members of the ruling government.
The Assembly members have clearly shown they do not want to act in the interest of the citizen. Were the citizens consulted as stipulated in the law? This is the time to act. The citizens must call the assembly members to order and expect them to do what is expected. Remind them they are not there to represent the interest of political parties or their parochial interest. This is the way to go. We must be thinking of the interest of the nation. Going forward, we must move away from the hypocrisy in our practice that the district election should not be partisan, just make it partisan.
The writer is the host of ‘Sunrise’ on 3FM. The article was first read on the morning show on Wednesday, October 5.
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