He said since the new assembly was inaugurated in January this year, “we have not been able to elect a presiding member after eight elections.”

That, he said, was retarding the progress of the municipality as there were lots of decisions that had to be taken at assembly meetings.

Accountability

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Gyimah said since there was no presiding member, the assembly was unable to hold meetings to take decisions on projects within the municipality, adding that the deliberations at the assembly meetings were very important in ensuring accountability in the affairs of the assembly.

He said the deliberations at the assembly served as checks and balances on its works and also ensured that projects were evenly distributed among the various electoral areas within the municipality.

Mr Gyimah said it was, therefore, high time that the assembly members united and allowed cool heads to prevail for the assembly to have a presiding member to steer the affairs at the plenary.

Background

Since the inauguration of the new assembly on January 23, 2020, Asokwa has not been able to elect a presiding member.

The first two candidates, Oscar Riches and Bismark Osei Tutu, who contested for the position, were later disqualified from contesting the position again per the new standing orders of the local government Act 936 (2016).

The new candidates, Dr Kwabena Boadu, a government appointee and Nana Yaw Wiredu, assembly member for Ahinsan electoral area, both failed to secure the required two-thirds of votes to enable them to assume the position.

The assembly and EC are back in court again after Mr Riches filed a new interlocutory injunction to restrain the two from conducting elections to elect a PM without his participation.