Residents in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, are worried about the assembly’s failure to elect assembly members on eight different occasions.
They describe their current leaders as selfish, a situation that is hindering development in the area.
Kumasi has been without a Metropolitan Chief Executive and Presiding Member for several months, and efforts to elect a new Presiding Member has failed.
Earlier this year, the mayor, Kojo Bonsu, resigned after he was alleged to have disrespected the Kumasi Traditional Council.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), is expected to go to the polls for the ninth time this Friday, to elect a presiding member for the assembly.
But residents have expressed uncertainty about the outcome of the elections.
The residents who spoke to Citi News ahead of the election, cautioned the assembly members to decide on a Presiding Member to enable development take place.
‘KMA fails to elect Presiding Member after 8th try’
The KMA on Tuesday failed to elect a Presiding Member after eight separate elections. The unopposed candidate for the Presiding Member position, Mr. Senya, was not elected by members of Assembly. The election ended with 65 assembly members voting NO against Nana Kofi Senya, whilst 62 people voted YES.
Adumhene, Nana Baffour Adjei Kesse, stepped down earlier on Tuesday, to allow Mr. Senya contest for the Presiding Member slot unopposed. He however lost, rendering the assembly without a Presiding Member after five sittings on Tuesday.
‘Blows at election of Presiding Member’
Earlier on on that day, an Assembly member of the KMA, Abdullah Muaza, traded blows with a National Democratic Congress (NDC) serial caller, during proceedings to elect a Presiding Member for the assembly.
In May this year, a brawl broke out when the assembly was convened to elect a new Presiding Member. That brawl was believed to have been caused by disagreements over some last-minute rule changes instituted by the Assembly’s Electoral Commission.
Although assembly elections are non-partisan as stipulated in the constitution, it is believed that political parties are largely involved in the elections behind the scenes.
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana