President John Atta Mills has urged District Assemblies to place emphasis on sanitation and waste management to rid the towns and cities of filth. He said it was regrettable that although the government had invested huge sums of money for the management of the sanitation there was no significant improvement in the way sanitation issues were being addressed by the assemblies. He said this year being an "Action Year" the government would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that performance targets were achieved. President Mills said this in a speech read for him by Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, the Northern Regional Minister, at the inauguration of the West Mamprusi District Assembly in Walewale. President Mills said the assembly members should ensure that they regularly interacted with their constituencies and also updated themselves on government policies. He also urged the assemblies to work hard to generate more funds rather than to depend entirely on the District Assemblies Common Fund. Mr Sulley Abudul Zakaria, West Mamprusi District Chief Executive, said the executive committee and sub-committees were key components of the assembly's structure and therefore urged the assembly members to get actively involved in the work of the sub-committees. He urged the assembly members to work together as a team with their focus on how to bring development to their people. Mr Seth Panwum, an accountant, was elected as the new Presiding Member of the Assembly. He pulled 46 votes representing 83 percent of the votes cast to overwhelmingly beat three other contenders for the post. The new Presiding Member thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work hard to foster unity among the people.Source: GNA