Rev Johnson Avuletey, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, has asked Assembly Members to eschew political affiliations and work in unity for development.

He said strict adherence to political party lineages caused assembly-members and their communities to suffer neglect when a favoured political party lost power.

Rev. Avuletey was speaking at the first Conference of Presiding Members in the Volta Region.

He said Assembly-Members were at the core of the local governance structure and must unite and collaborate towards realising the developmental mandate.

“Let’s drop our political attire for the country to move forward. If we want development for this Region, we must drop our political selves and fight for the basic things the people need.

“I am looking forward to the day members would come together and say that despite the Party in power, all we need is development,” Rev. Avulete added.

The Deputy Minister called on Presiding Members to redesign the agenda of the Assemblies to enhance an accelerated development.

He said the public had a role to play in ensuring peaceful elections and must be a part of the process to ensure it was free and fair.

Mr Johnny Akpakli, Presiding Member of the Ho Municipal Assembly, and Dean of the Presiding Members said the lack of a means of transport, absence of salary or allowance, lack of office space and non-allocation of development fund, were some of the challenges of PMs.

He said, however, Members continued to deliver their responsibilities in the communities and urged the conference to ensure the peaceful conduct of the December elections.

Mr Phanuel Donkor, Adaklu District Chief Executive (DCE), said the government was sure to pay Assembly-members, and asked them to continue working closely with the DCE and the Members of Parliament.

He appealed to Members of the Afadzato South and the Agortime Ziope District Assemblies to elect Presiding Members to help coordinate their institutions towards development.

The DCE said members must consider all polling stations as potential flash points that required the needed attention.

He appealed to politicians to stay away from behaviour that would incite unrest.

The Conference was on the theme: “The Role of the Assembly Member in Promoting and Maintaining the Peace Before, During and After Election 2020.”