Tema, Oct. 04, GNA - Five out of the 54 Assembly members elected to the Tema Municipal Assembly are women.

They are Ms Esther Sintim Missah a Government appointee and now elected assemblywoman for Ashiboe electoral area, Mrs Adwoa Amoako, re-elected for Wolei, Madam Stella Nkansah for Mantseman, Ms Harriet Quansah for Mii Man electoral area, and Mrs Gladys Naadu Tetteh for Sutsurunaa.

Mr Michael Boadu, Tema Municipal Electoral Officer in an interview with the GNA at Tema on Wednesday, said 32 out of the 54 elected were newly elected members while 22 were retained. He said the election was peaceful within the municipality except two incidents that were recorded at Oyibi and Adenta but did not affect voting and counting procedure because the Police was called to save the situation.

However, he expressed concern about the low turn out and attributed it to the inability of the people to appreciate the importance of Local Government elections.

Mr Boadu suggested that in addition to intensive education, there should be proper decentralization where assembly members would be empowered to carry out developmental projects "so that the people will see them as the pivot for development and appreciate their work."