The Wenchi Municipal Assembly in the Bono Region has failed to elect a Presiding Member after two rounds of voting supervised by the Electoral Commission.

In an election after the inauguration of the ninth assembly, the incumbent Presiding Member, James Kwasi Oduro Asare, locked horns with the Assembly Member for Twisiase Electoral Area, Henry Ameworwor.

At the end of the first round of voting, Mr Oduro Asare secured 16 votes of the total votes cast, Mr Ameworwor garnered 22 votes, and three ballots were rejected.

In the second round of voting, Mr Oduro Asare recorded 17 votes against 23 votes of Mr Ameworwor with one rejected vote.

According to the Wenchi Municipal Electoral Officer, Christina Opoku, a winner must secure at least 29 votes, which makes a two-thirds majority of the 41-member assembly.

She said, "Per the outcome of the elections, none of the candidates secured the two-thirds majority to become the Presiding Member of the assembly for a two-year term".
The Electoral Officer, thus postponed the election to the next 10 days.

Addressing the assembly on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enforce laws to deal with unplanned settlements in their localities.

According to the Attorney General, President Akufo-Addo is worried about the emerging trend, which he believes threatens national development.

He advised MMDAs to be mindful of the negative impacts of unplanned resettlements on the development of assemblies, hence the need to be proactive to nib the menace in the bud.

“In 2020, your predecessor’s attention was drawn to a major challenge relating to unplanned and haphazard development within the jurisdiction of most district assemblies, and this phenomenon has serious implications for national development and public safety,” he said.

He stated, "As you begin work, it is my ardent hope that you will help enforce the planning standards and compliance of land use and spatial planning as well as other regulations regarding human settlements".

He further appealed to the assembly members to support the implementation of all government projects at the local level.