Prioritize national interest, welfare of electorate over personal gains — Accra Mayor

Prioritize national interest, welfare of electorate over personal gains — Accra Mayor to new Assembly Members. Mrs. Elizabeth Kwatsoe Sackey, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, has advised the newly inaugurated members of the Assembly to put the interest of the nation and their communities above all other interests in the discharge of their mandate.

She said, that was important if they were to deliver development for the electorate in their respective communities and deepen the decentralization process.

“We must remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold national interest at all levels of our dealings. I urge each of you to refrain from seeking undue favors and to hold yourselves accountable to the highest standards of ethical conduct,” she said.

The Mayor gave the advice at the inauguration and swearing-in of the ninth Accra Metropolitan Assembly, on Monday.

The inauguration was in fulfilment of Article 35 Clause 6 (d) of the 1992 Constitution which enjoins the State to promote decentralization and popular participation in governance by affording all possible opportunities to the citizenry to participate in decision-making at all levels of government.

In all, 28 out of the 30 members which comprise 20 elected and 10 appointees, were sworn in.

Justice Susana Aduffo, a Justice of the High Court, administered the oath to the members.

Two government appointees — Madam Juana Frances Addah and Mr .Henry Plunge, however, could not be sworn-in on the day.

Madam Juana Frances Addah was absent, while some Assembly Members objected to the appointment of Mr. Henry Plunge who is the Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NaDMO) at the AMA.

They said, his appointment violated sections of the Local Government Act, 2016, ( Act 936).

Mrs. Sackey noted that, over the years, the AMA had seen remarkable achievements and progress, adding that it had become the pacesetter in decentralization.

She said, in line with the Assembly’s commitment to decentralization, it had undertaken various initiatives to enhance local governance and service delivery, key among them were management of environmental sanitation, revenue mobilization, and stakeholder management, especially in project execution.

“We recognize the significance of these areas in achieving our overall objectives of improving the quality of life for our electorate and fostering sustainable development in our communities.

“Therefore, I urge all members to lend their full support to the management of the Assembly in these endeavors, especially through advocacy, community mobilization and sensitization.

To build on the success chalked over the years, she urged the newly inaugurated Assembly to embrace the mantle of leadership with pride and determination, strive to build upon the foundation laid by their predecessors and ensure they left a lasting legacy for generations unborn.

The Mayor also charged them to uphold the trust imposed in them by the electorate, and work diligently to fulfill their aspirations.

“As we embark on this journey of public service to our Electoral Areas and communities, let us recognize the responsibility entrusted to us by our electorate. It is important to point out that your election signifies the trust and confidence that the people of your respective electoral areas have placed in you.

“It is now incumbent upon us to uphold their trust and work diligently to fulfill their aspirations,” she stressed.

Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood, a Council of State Member, in a speech read on behalf of the President, said the inauguration of the newly elected and appointed Assembly members marked another significant milestone towards deepening decentralization in the country.

She said the decentralization reforms, which commenced over three and half decades (1988) with just 110 Assemblies, had made significant progress in several fronts.

“Today, as we inaugurate 259 Assemblies out of a total of 261, with the exclusion of Nkoranza South Municipal and Nkoranza North District Assemblies, whose tenure is yet to end,  we can all agree that Government is closer to the people than it had ever been in the history of this country,” she indicated.

She added That: “As we constitute the membership of the district assembly,  it is envisaged that new ideas and opportunities will emerge to deepen the deliberative, legislative and the executive functions of the district assembly.”

Mrs. Wood, who is also a former Chief Justice, also urged them to build strong partnership and collaborate with local structures such as the Urban Town, Zonal and Area Council, the Unit Committees and the traditional authorities to facilitate the work of the Assembly.

Source: GNA