Government has handed over 442 motorbikes to assembly members in the Upper West Region as part of efforts to enhance the decentralization process.
The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister Amidu Chinnia Issahaku handing over the motorbikes to the Dean of Presiding Members for onward distribution to the all other assembly members at Wa said government was aware of the pertinent role of assembly members in the governance structure thus the donation of the bikes.
Mr. Chinnia Issahaku was excited that one of the major concerns of the assembly members had been resolved. He asked them to use the motorbikes for the intended purpose.
“The President believes in decentralization. We need to get governance to the lowest person in our governance structures and therefore whatever government needs to do to ensure that our assembly members are empowered and facilitated so that they can carry out their duties and responsibilities in their respective electoral areas within the assemblies would be done,” he said.
The Deputy Minister called on the assembly members to take good care of the motorbikes and use them for the intended purpose as it cost government a lot of money to procure them saying “442 motorbikes is a lot of money, and it is state money that government has invested to ensure that assembly members are efficient in the delivery of their work so I want to appeal to you [assembly members] to take good care of them and use them for their intended purpose.”
The 442 motorbikes are expected to facilitate the movement of assembly members through the various communities to educate residents on new government policies while collating the concerns of community members for onward submission at the various assemblies.
The Dean of Presiding Members and Presiding Member of Wa Municipal Assembly, Karim Topie expressed gratitude to government for listening to their pleas. He said the motorbikes would go a long way to help them to effectively deliver on their mandate.
“I want to thank the President of Ghana and his government for empowering us to further exercise our duties as assembly members and I also want to assure the government that we are going to improve our duties [as assembly members].”
The short ceremony was attended by the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Tahiru Issahaku Moomen who doubles as the Dean of MDCEs in the Upper West Regions and some assembly members.
Story by Mark Smith
