They are the Hohoe Zonal Council, Gbi-South Zonal Council, Agumatsa Zonal Council, and the Alavanyo Zonal Council.

Mr Andrews Teddy Ofori, the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), in his inaugural address, said the concept of grassroots participation in local governance could be best achieved in the Municipality through commitment and collective leadership with the qualities and attributes of members of the councils which would manifest in the discharge of their responsibilities.

“The District Assembly concept faced initial problems when it was introduced many years ago but later these problems gave way as successes were chalked. In the same vein, sub-structures may face operational difficulties, but with commitment and dedication, we shall overcome," he said.

Mr Ofori said since the Assembly is empowered to assign specific functions to the Sub-District bodies, it was going to perform delegated functions to lessen the burden of the entire municipal management, which hitherto had been the responsibility of the Municipal Assembly.

The MCE said the Councils would be responsible for the administration, enforcement, and mobilization of their areas such as enumerating and keeping records of all ‘rateable’ persons and properties in their areas.

The Councils will also assist any person authorized by the Assembly to collect revenues due the Assembly, recommend to the Assembly the naming of all streets, and cause all buildings to be numbered in areas of authority.

Mr Ofori said the Zonal Councils would be expected to plant trees by the streets and erect tree-guards to protect them from undue obstruction, prevent and control fire outbreaks and organise other relevant events to discuss the development of their areas.

“It is in the light of these functions and to give concrete expression to our new democratic culture that the Zonal Urban, Town and Area Councils, and Unit Committees have been set up in considerable numbers by as wide a representation as possible”, he added.

The MCE said there are physical, land, and environmental degradation in the Municipality with the persistent problem of unauthorized development in towns and settlements, which the Municipal Assembly had been confronted with.

“The increasing number of disorderly, haphazard and unauthorized development is alarming to a generation, which is at the threshold of the 21s Century when science and technology have made such a remarkable impact on global development.

"We can no longer afford to allow houses to be constructed in areas earmarked for roads nor encroachments to take place with careless abandon. We should not wait for the structures to spring up in the first place. I, therefore, task you to ensure that the practice is stopped," he said.

Mr Ofori said accountability and transparency must be the guide of not only the assemblies but also the sub-structures so that rumour-mongering, character assassination, and other negative tendencies could be nipped in the bud.

He called on members of the Councils to ensure peace and internal security prevailed by relating with the electorate with mutual respect, trust, and harmony because they were essential to stave off chieftaincy, ethnic and land disputes.

Fifteen councillors were sworn-in in the Hohoe Zonal Council, 12 in Alavanyo Zonal Council, and 14 in the Gbi-South and Agumatsa Zonal Councils respectively.