Presiding Member Duke Anaba (standing) addressing his colleagues after his election
After some attempts at electing a Presiding Member had failed, the Bongo District Assembly members have finally succeeded in electing Duke Anaba as the a Presiding Member(PM) for the Assembly on Wednesday, May 16.
Duke Anaba, polled 51 votes out of the 52 votes cast by the Assembly members. The Assembly has a total of 54 members.
Prior to the election, the Assembly member for the Vea Electoral Area, Timothy Baba, who was also contesting for the position stepped down to allow Duke Anaba go unopposed.
According to Mr. Baba, he had to step down in order to prevent another round of disappointment for the Assembly, saying, “…we need a Presiding Member to spearhead the activities and decision making of this Assembly. I feel that, without a Presiding Member, so many projects that have to come to this district, would not come; then we will be retarding our development as a district.”
He said the development of the district is very important than one person’s interest and so he had to put his interest aside to allow Duke Anaba to go.
The District Chief Executive for Bongo, Mr Peter Ayinbisa who marked his one year in office on the same day, was happy, saying, “… we have to learn from what Baba Timothy has done; putting aside his interest for the sake of development in Bongo, through this Assembly.”
According to the DCE, the Bongo District Assembly has a lot to do, to bring development to all sections of the district and it would have been bad to spend time struggling to elect a Presiding Member.
He reiterated the need for the Assembly members and everyone from the district, to be a good ambassador and use every platform they get anywhere across the country and the world, to invite investors to the district and encourage professionals to accept postings and transfers to the Bongo district.
Meanwhile the Bolgatanga Municipality has slated Wednesday May 23, for another Assembly meeting to elect its Presiding Member.
The Bolgatanga Municipality has tried on two occasions to elect a Presiding Member, but failed due to some entrenched positions taken by the Assembly members.
It is expected that they will learn from the Bongo experience for the sake of development.
FROM: EBO BRUCE-QUANSAH, Bongo