Accra Metropolitan Assembly elects Acting Presiding Member

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has elected Mr Derrick Addotey Myers, Assemblyman for Chorkor in the Ablekuma South electoral area, as Acting Presiding Member by simple majority.

Mr Myers had 56 votes to beat his challenger Mr Isaac Adja Tettey who garnered 54.

The election is a result to an amendment by Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, to the relevant portions of the Model Standing Orders of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462).

The Act states: “Where the Assembly is unable to elect a Presiding Member under Article 244(2) of the Constitution, Section 17(3) of the Act and order 10(1) of the Standing Orders, members of the Assembly shall proceed to elect one of their members present by simple majority to preside over meetings for the duration of the sitting only.”

Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive expressed gratitude to the assembly members for the election, which he said would facilitate the approval of the composite budget.

“Composite budgeting must include all MMDAs and it is for that reason the Local Government Ministry sought the appropriate measures to address the problem because none of the contestants to the position had the two-thirds of the voting by members.”

The contestants who failed to get the mandatory two-thirds votes in the first and second elections are Mr Addo Biney, the incumbent presiding member and Mr Thomas Ashong.

Source: GNA