By Alex Baah Boadi
Sefwi-Wiawso (WN/R), July 21, GNA – Residents of Sefwi-Wiawso in the Western North Regional capital have lauded the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led administration for the payment of allowances to Assembly members.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the residents commended the initiative, stressing that it would go a long way to enhance local governance since it would go a long way to make the assembly members more effective in their various electoral areas.
“Assembly members play a critical role within the local government concept and giving them allowances would enhance local participation, since most of them are the first point of call in issues of local governance, problem solving and local development,” Mr Kwabena Nkuah, an opinion leader indicated.
Others were of the view that as much as the government deserved commendation, unit committee members should also be considered since they also played a crucial role in ensuring assembly members performed creditably.
Mr Farouk Ahmed Omar, Assembly member for Market Area and Asawinso zonal council chairman, told the Ghana News Agency that the gesture was a welcoming news since that was the first time assembly members would be getting monthly allowance.
He commended President John Dramani Mahama for the achievement and appealed for the prompt payment of the allowance which he said would help solve petty challenges at the various electoral areas.
The assembly member used the opportunity to appeal to the local government ministry to consider creating additional electoral areas, especially within the Wiawso Municipality since many of the exiting electoral areas were too large for just one assembly member to effectively handle.
The government last week released the first tranche of Gh25 million for the payment of nontaxable allowance to assembly members across the country.
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/Christain Akorlie