Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, has urged assembly members of the newly inaugurated Tempane District not to waste time in electing a Presiding Member (PM) so the much-needed development of the area may also see the acceleration it deserves.
Mr. Kpemka, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tempane, gave the advice Thursday as his constituents came out in their numbers to witness the inauguration of the new local government area which was created in 2017 out of the Garu-Tempane District.
“We have the privilege of having a number of our communities to be connected to the national grid. The estimates and the measurements have already been taken in those communities. The water situation is bad. Contract has been awarded for 6 mechanised boreholes in the Tempane District and 6 mechanised toilet facilities also in the district to take off next month.
“Many of these are coming. But they will come if only our abled, honourable assembly members give us a good signal by giving us a presiding member and subsequently endorsing whoever the President will appoint to the position of District Chief Executive. Let us unite in diversity to shame our enemies and bring development to Tempane,” stated the Deputy Attorney General.
Release Lands for Development— Bawku Naba tells Chiefs
The Paramount Chief of Bawku, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, was among the dignitaries in attendance to welcome the sixth district in the Kusaug Kingdom (the Bawku Traditional Area).
The plea made by the Tempane MP would be incomplete, even if the assembly members all heeded his call, without the readiness of the traditional authorities in the area to release lands for the development the Deputy Minister for Justice wants to see in his district and constituency.
It, therefore, came as no surprise when the Zugraan (the King of the Kusaug Kingdom) dwelt his speech at the inaugural ceremony on the need for his subordinate chiefs in Tempane to release lands for development.
“While expressing my appreciation to the NPP (New Patriotic Party) Government for creating this brand new district, I also urge my chiefs and elders concerned to readily release lands as and when the District Assembly requires [them] for developmental [projects].
“I know the new Tempane District is endowed with enough resources to be able to sustain itself in terms of developmental needs. It should manage its resources judiciously and not over-rely on the District Assembly Common Fund. I hope the next time I am invited to come around this area, it will be for the commissioning of a project,” said the Zugraan through his secretary, Naba Akuolug Thomas Abilla.
Ambassador to Vatican hails New District Creation
Overjoyed natives of the new district, who were joined at the ceremony by a delegation of well-wishers from the neighbouring Republic of Togo, spoke to Starr News about their expectations as the new assembly officially began work from Thursday (yesterday).
“We are very happy and proud. The development that we will have will be so much. The creation of the new district means that the youth will be employed in different sectors. There will be development on the road network. There will be development in the health sector.
“Some clinics will be declared as health centres and the markets will open up. Many people will benefit. We have received our new district as our new wife,” said Solomon Asang, Assemblyman for the Basyonde Sabzunde Electoral Area.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the Vatican and former Deputy Minister for Defence, Joseph Akudibillah, expressed the expectations of the people in another version when he delivered his acceptance speech as the chairman for the inaugural event.
“We are most grateful to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government. The creation of the new district will among other things bring governance closer to the doorsteps of the people.
“They will be part of the decision-making process, prepare their own budgets and plans, which when implemented collectively, will help improve the lives of the people of our dear area. I would, therefore, urge all herein gathered to ensure that this district becomes the best in the country,” the ambassador emphasised.
There used to be 30 elected and 13 appointed members of the erstwhile Garu-Tempane District Assembly. The now-autonomous Tempane District has 17 elected and 5 appointed assembly members whose thumbprints are to decide who becomes the district’s first ever District Chief Executive and Presiding Member.
Election of a PM was initially scheduled for Friday (today) but the exercise was deferred because of Thursday’s inaugural fatigue. A new date is yet to be announced. Sources say it will come off after the Easter break.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/103.5FM/Edward Adeti
