Ketu South Assembly fails to elect Presiding Member

By Ewoenam Kpodo

Denu (VR), Jun 15, GNA – The Ketu South Municipal Assembly has again failed to elect a Presiding Member (PM) to steer its affairs since its inauguration on Monday, February 12.

Mr Richard Koffi Hato, a government appointee of the Assembly, who stood unopposed could not secure the two-thirds majority votes required for his endorsement as he polled 33 out of the 58 votes cast.

Nineteen members voted against him, while six ballots were recorded as rejected.

Another meeting of the Assembly would be reconvened in 10 days for the election of the PM to take place.

The recent failed PM election attempt followed three earlier ones in which aspirants, Mr Wilfred Dakunya and Mr Moses Xorve Kordorwu, Assembly members for Akame and Lotakor Electoral Areas, respectively, suffered similar fate.

While the results from the contest between Mr Dakunya and Mr Kordorwu were blamed on entrenched political position as they were believed to be sympathisers of the ruling New Patriotic Party and the opposition National Democratic Congress respectively, the Assembly members felt the new aspirant did not do enough consultation.

Some of them, who spoke to Ghana News Agency said though they did not expect a repeat of the PM election in the eighth Assembly, which ran into several voting attempts, the sole aspirant must engage and not be complacent.

“I’m not surprised because the aspirant didn’t do the necessary engagement before the election was held. The next election will be held in the next 10 days, and when he does the necessary engagement before the election day, we will have it easy to get a PM.

It will only be tough, when we don’t leave partisan issues out of this PM election,” Mr Dakunya, who failed his PM bid noted.

Miss Faustina Elikplim Korwu, Assembly member for Avoeme West said the delay in electing a PM did not augur well for the Assembly as there could not be committees to work neither could members meet to deliberate or transact businesses to benefit the Municipality and hoped that the Assembly would soon be successful in getting its PM.

GNA