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Politics of Saturday, 1 February 2020

Source: Daniel Kaku, Contributor

John Nyankeh re-elected Jomoro Assembly Presiding Member

He would lead the Assembly for another two-year term as the presiding member He would lead the Assembly for another two-year term as the presiding member

The immediate past Presiding Member (PM) for Jomoro Municipal Assembly of Western region, John Nyankeh has been re-elected.

He would lead the Assembly for another two-year term as the presiding member following his re-election.

The 54-member assembly is made up of 37 elected and 15 government appointees, the District chief Executive and the Member of Parliament.

Fifty (50) out of the fifty-four (54) members of the Assembly were present to take part in the voting exercise when Hon. John Nyankeh polled 38 votes as against 12 votes obtained by the contender.

The former Presiding Member secured his position after two rounds of voting.

Mr. John Nyankeh was challenged by a colleague member of the house, Mr. Augustine Pascal Yankey but he subsequently pulled out of the contest after the first round voluntarily.

The first round of the elections gave Mr. John Nyankeh 32 votes while Mr. Pascal Yankey got 18 votes which did not constitute two thirds (2/3) of the total votes cast.

The elections were officiated by the officials of Jomoro Municipal Electoral Commission and witnessed by the Deputy Minister for Communications, Mr. Vincent Odotei Sowah.

The Presiding Member-elect in his short address thanked his colleague members of the house for the confidence reposed in him.

He also thanked the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Ernest Kofie and the NPP Western Regional Chairman, Mr. Francis Ndede Siah for supporting him to be elected as the Presiding Member for the assembly.

He promised to bring all members of the Assembly together as he did during his first tenure and unite them.

He said the most important thing for members was for them to send development to their respective Electoral Areas.

"It is my pledge that as I have been doing in the previous administration, we are going to work together. It is not my style to bring disunity and division. I am going to work with each and everyone, whether you voted for me or you did not vote for me, we are going to work to bring development to our various electoral areas, that is very key", he said.

He, therefore, seized the occasion to thank his fellow contestant, Mr. Augustine Pascal Yankey who pulled out of the race to allow him to run in the second round unopposed.

He appealed to him to cooperate and coordinate with him, activities of the Assembly as he did during his first tenure.

"...I want to give a special mention to my fellow contestant, Hon. Pascal Yankey for conceding and withdrawing to give me the contest, in fact when we were out there, I spoke to him and he promised me, he told me, Hon. John Nyankeh you are going to win this contest, once I have spoken to my disciples so-called, I know that they are going to vote for you and give you endorsement and really it has come to pass, Hon. Pascal, I say thank you. I hope that as you have given me the cooperation and coordination during the previous administration, Pascal I hope you are going to give me the same cooperation going forward 2020 and 2021", he ended.

On his part, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area, Hon. Ernest Kofie charged the Assembly Members to maintain a clo
He said they should consult their electorates on issues to be discussed in the Assembly and collate their views, opinions and proposals.
se contact with their Electoral Areas.

He also charged them to participate in communal and developmental activities in the Municipality.

The MCE urged them to use the Assembly bye-laws to enforce compliance in sanitation management and environmental health standards and rules to ensure a clean and healthy environment.

"Let me emphasize that good governance entails active participation of the citizens in your Electoral Areas to ensure the delivery of quality services, improved infrastructure and good leadership", he disclosed.

On his part, Hon. Vincent Odotei Sowah, the Deputy Minister for Communications who represented President Akufo-Addo expressed his profound gratitude to the Assembly Members for peaceful election of the Presiding Member, who is among them to chair meetings of the assembly.

He called on them to be united and rally behind the government to implement its programmes to benefit their electorates.

He took the opportunity to praise President Akufo-Addo for the successful implementation of the flagship Free SHS programme and urged them to embrace it.

The Chief of Half Assini who chaired the occasion, Nana Ayebie Amhire congratulated the Presiding Member-elect on his victory and called on Assembly Members to support him to deliver.

He called on them to link up with their electorates for them to be abreast with what transpires at the Assembly.

He said anytime the Assembly Members were going for meetings, they should try and meet their communities first to solicit ideas before meeting.

The elected Presiding Member, Hon. John Nyankeh is expected to be sworn-in by the Assembly next meeting.