Sunyani (B/A), May 15, GNA- Members of the Sunyani municipal assembly on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to elect Mr Isaac Kwadwo Amankwaah, an architect as the presiding member of the assembly. Mr Amankwaah secured 25 votes representing 89.29 percent out of the 26 valid votes cast in an election conducted and supervised by the officials of the Electoral Commission in Sunyani. Mr Isaac Yaw Brenya, assemblyman for Atoase electoral area earlier stepped down and threw his weight behind Mr Amankwaah, but the election became necessary because the Presiding member had to get two-thirds of the votes of assembly members.

Two delegates including the Member of Parliament for Sunyani East constituency, Mr John Henry Mensah did not turn up. Mr Rapheal Cubagye, assemblyman for Abonsuam electoral area, who nearly marred the elections refusing to cast his vote, claiming that there had been an irregularity in the electoral process with regard to the standing order of the assembly. The elections also coincided with the first ordinary meeting of the assembly.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Amankwaah thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and urged members to resort to dialogue in addressing problems confronting their electoral areas. He advised the assembly members to be punctual in attending meetings, cooperate and deliberate on issues that would promote the development of the assembly.

Justice Lawrence Ladzagla Mensah, a supervising high court Judge, who swore Mr Amankwaah in office, said the ability of members to ventilate their opinions and grievances were the hallmark of democracy and urged the Presiding Member to accommodate the views of all the assembly members.

Mr Kwame Twumasi-Awuah, Municipal Chief Executive expressed his appreciation of the performance of the assembly's revenue generation during the first quarter of the year.

He said following the inauguration of the Sunyani West District assembly, which was carved from the municipal assembly, revenues generated in March this year from that area did not come to the municipal assembly and that also contributed to the shortfall of the assembly's revenue mobilization in the first quarter. He explained that the assembly had relocated Stadium primary, a school situated in the middle of the Sunyani Township to quieter place to promote effective teaching and learning.

Mr Twumasi-Awuah said the assembly had signed a memorandum of understanding with MELCOM, a private enterprise to build three-storey shopping mall, on build operate transfer basis, on the compound where the school was formerly situated.

He said the company had already paid a commitment fee of GH¢6,000 to the assembly, adding that, MELCOM would further pay ground rent and any rate the assembly might impose. Mr Twumasi-Awuah said projects, both completed and on-going, in the municipality would cost the assembly an amount of GH¢1,093,343.50, adding that, out of the amount, GHC 621,169.46 had been paid leaving an outstanding of GH¢ 472,179.04.