AMA fails to elect Presiding Member

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has failed again to elect a Presiding Member for the second time.

This was due to the inability of both parties to hit the 82-vote count to win.

Mr Desmond Nii Addo Biney, Assembly Member, Okponglo, and Thomas Ashong Assembly Member, West Darkuman, stood to be elected as Presiding Member. Mr Biney secured 47 votes while Mr Ashong had 61 votes.

This has left the assembly without a Presiding Member to steer the affairs, leaving doubts in the mind of some members about the Local Government Act 462.

According to the Local Government Act 462, the Presiding Member must get a maximum of 82 votes from the 76 elected assembly members, 36 appointed members, the Metropolitan Chief Executive and 30 parliamentarians to become the Presiding Member of the House.

Some distraught members stated that the Presiding Member could not obtain the mandated votes to preside over the assembly because parliamentarians did not partake in the voting process.

Prior to the elections, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, stated that some legal concerns pertaining to the election of the Presiding Member had been brought to their notice.

He held that it was expedient to get a Presiding Member to enable the assembly constitute the necessary committees to begin the business of the house.

He told the house that all the legalities would be addressed to eliminate any problem that may affect the smooth running of the house in the future.

Some assembly members who could not hide their displeasure stated that they feel the 82 vote count should be reviewed because parliamentarians do not vote.

“We need to sit down and decide to elect one of the two candidates to steer the affairs of the house, otherwise we would be voting for a whole session for a Presiding Member and do nothing for the people who have elected us to office,” they stated.