Asiedu Adjei delivering his acceptance speech
PRESIDING MEMBER of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Alfred Aseidu Adjei, has been elected the President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) by popular acclamation at the just ended 22nd Biennial National Delegates Conference held in Sunyani.
Mr Adjei, affectionately called Paa Joe was a three-term assembly member for Avenor Electoral Area in the Greater Accra Region and a unit committee member.
He rose through the rank to become the Presiding Member of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. Hitherto Paa Joe also served as secretary to the Association of Presiding Members in the Greater Accra Region.
Addressing the media after his swearing-in, Mr. Adjei expressed commitment to leverage his experience over the years to build the capacity of assemblies to deliver development in all areas of the country.
Mr. Adjei spoke of his intention to advocate for end-of-service benefits for assembly members to inspire them to work hard for the assemblies.
The NALAG president further underscored the judicious use of the electoral area project fund which is crucial for infrastructural development at the local levels to better the lives of the people.
The 22nd Biennial National Delegates Conference was held under the theme, ‘Empowering Local Governance: A New Dawn For Electoral Area Development,’ and was attended by nananom, heads of departments, and key stakeholders.
Other important officers elected unopposed to help him steer the affairs of the association included Patrick Kwame Frimpong, 1st Vice President; Philomina Opoku-Asare, Treasurer, and Helena Mensah, National Women’s Caucus.
Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, called for effective decentralization of the country’s resources to reach all electoral areas.
She said, “There is a need for equitable resource allocation to reach every electoral area directly to address localized problems such as sanitation, critical infrastructure, water, health care, education, and others.”
Madam Banahene urged assembly members to leverage technology to develop their electoral areas.
Chairman of the conference who is the Ohempon of Atebubu Traditional Area, Dr. Yeboah Asiamah on his part, advocated for gender equity in the assembly membership urging the youth to participate in the assembly’s work.
“You must also collaborate with us (traditional authorities) on effective policy decisions for programmes that address the critical needs of our people”, he advised.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani