The Builsa South District Assembly encountered a setback in its proceedings as it failed to designate a presiding member subsequent to the induction of new assembly members.
Both candidates, John Peter Apaabey and John Asuaga, fell short of obtaining the required two-thirds majority of the total votes cast. In the initial round of voting, former Presiding Member John Peter Apaabey secured 18 votes, while John Asuaga received 12 votes.
Despite extensive deliberations and a subsequent round of voting, the outcome remained unchanged, leaving the assembly in a state of gridlock.
An arrangement has been made for the assembly to convene at a later agreed-upon date to pursue the election of a Presiding Member.
The swearing-in ceremony of the assembly was witnessed by the Regional Minister, Honorable Stephen Yakubu, and the District Chief Executive, Daniel Kwame Gariba.
Mr. Gariba, when he spoke to Mark Smith on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show today, Tuesday, February 13, 2023, blamed excessive partisan politics for the situation.
Mr. Gariba said the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had been heard suggesting that they would make it impossible for assemblies in the Upper East Region to elect presiding members if the party did not have its way.
“There is a certain conspiracy from a certain camp to make sure that the PM elections don’t go through. It is an NDC thing. Their point is that we are in an election year and when you elect a PM who is NPP, he is going to promote or support in the elections. I don’t even understand it. It is a hollow reason. That is what the NDC is saying. The events that are happening across the region feed into that intelligence we have had. Days before this whole exercise, we heard it. They said they are going to make sure that we are not going to get presiding members,” he said.
Source: A1Radioonline.com101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
