Amansie West District Assembly Fails to Elect Presiding Member After Deadlock Vote

Amansie West District Assembly Fails to Elect Presiding Member After Deadlock Vote

Source:www.dailywatchgh.com
By:Justice Baffour, Managing Editor
Contact: 0246930931

The Amansie West District Assembly has failed to elect a new Presiding Member following a closely contested election held at the Assembly’s Conference Hall in Manso Nkwanta.

The development comes after the expiration of the Assembly’s two-year administrative term, leaving the House without a Presiding Member to steer its meetings and oversee key legislative duties.

Tight Contest Ends in Deadlock

The election, conducted and supervised by the Amansie West District Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Stephen Bertino, brought together all 39 Assembly Members- comprising 23 elected members and 16 government appointees.

However, the exercise ended in a stalemate due to apparent partisan divisions between members affiliated with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Two candidates contested the position:

Hon.Amponsah Antwi Bosiako, Assembly Member for Atobrakrom /Omanadware3 Electoral Area,
Hon. Oppong Emmanuel, Assembly Member for Manso Brofoyedu Electoral Area.

To be elected Presiding Member, a candidate must secure two-thirds (2/3) of the total votes cast,amounting to 28 votes under the current membership strength.

First Round Results
In the first round of voting:

Hon. Amponsah Antwi Bosiako secured 18 votes
Hon. Oppong Emmanuel also secured 18 votes
One rejected ballot was recorded,
Two members were absent,
Neither candidate met the constitutional threshold of 28 votes, forcing the House into a second round of voting.

Second Round Still Inconclusive
During the second round:

Hon. Amponsah Antwi Bosiako maintained his 18 votes
Hon. Oppong Emmanuel increased his tally slightly to 19 votes
Despite the marginal gain, the required two-thirds majority remained unmet, rendering the election unsuccessful.

Meeting Adjourned
Following the inconclusive vote, Hon. Isaac Manu, Assembly Member for Hiakose Electoral Area, proposed a motion for adjournment, which was duly seconded by another colleague.

In accordance with the law governing District Assembly proceedings, the District Chief Executive, Hon.Prince Manu Morrison, in consultation with the District Finance Officer currently acting as District Coordinating Director, is expected to communicate a new date for another election within the next ten days.

DCE Calls for Unity

Addressing members after the adjournment, the District Chief Executive, Hon. Prince Manu Morrison, expressed disappointment over the inability of the House to elect a Presiding Member.

He urged members not to attach political interpretations to the outcome and emphasized the need for unity and cooperation in the interest of development.

“I had wished the House would have elected its Presiding Member today to ensure the smooth running of Assembly business.

However, I am confident that Amansie West District will have its Presiding Member at the next meeting,” he assured.

Implications for Assembly Business

The absence of a Presiding Member temporarily stalls key deliberations and legislative processes within the Assembly, as the role is crucial in presiding over meetings, maintaining order, and ensuring effective governance at the district level.

Residents and stakeholders in the district are hopeful that consensus will be reached at the next sitting to allow the Assembly to resume full operations without further delay.

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Justice Baffour
Managing Editor
0246930931