Tolon (NR), August 06, GNA - Factionalism among members of the Tolon/Kumbungu District Assembly has made it difficult for the House to elect a Presiding Member for the third time in about six months. At a special meeting on Wednesday to elect a Presiding Member, the election came to a stalemate as neither of the two contestants, Mr Suhuyini Wumbie Wahab from the Gburumani Electoral Area in Tolon and Mr Sumani Hudu from Zaamigu Electoral Area in Kumbungu could get the two-thirds votes required by the 60-member assembly.

Mr Wahab pulled 32 votes as against Mr Hudu, who had 26 votes. In view of the stalemate, the assembly cannot approve the district budget and the District Assemblies' Common Fund projects, while sub-committees are not in place to support the core staff in the performance of their duties.

Addressing the assembly members after the election, the District Chief Executive, Mr Alhassan Baako appealed to the members to bury their differences and work as a team to remove ignorance, poverty and disease that were still prevalent in the communities.

He reminded those seeking public offices to think of what they would do to bring development to the people to improve their living standards. Mr Baako urged the members to take up the responsibility of educating the people in the communities to embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme and also participate actively in the execution of development projects in the District.

He advised the Assembly Members to use dialogue always to resolve problems in the House and in the communities to unite the people for the rapid development of the area.

The Tolon/Kumbungu and Gushiegu/Karaga District Assemblies are the only two in the Northern Region without Presiding Members.