Mr Patrick Kwame Frimpong, Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and Ashanti Regional Dean of the Conference of Presiding Members, has urged members to champion development at the grassroots level through transparent leaderhip devoid of partisan politics.
He called on Presiding Members across the region to embrace visionary, transparent and accountable leadership to accelerate development in their communities.
Mr. Frimpong made the call in a goodwill message delivered during the Ashanti Regional Conference of Presiding Members held in Kumasi under the theme: “Leading Change at the Grassroots: The Role of Presiding Members”.
The conference brought together Presiding Members from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the Ashanti Region to deliberate on strategies for enhancing local governance, promoting accountability, and advancing sustainable development at the grassroots level.
According to Kwame Frimpong, the conference provides an opportunity for Presiding Members to reflect on their responsibilities, exchange ideas, and strengthen their capacity to deliver effective leadership in their respective Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He noted that Presiding Members are not merely chairpersons of Assembly meetings, but are catalysts for development, unity and transformation within their local communities explaining that their constitutional mandate places them at the centre of local governance, where they are expected to ensure fairness during Assembly deliberations while fostering consensus among Assembly Members and other stakeholders.
According to him, as Presiding Members, “we occupy a unique and strategic position within our local governance structure. We are not only custodians of order and fairness in our Assemblies, but also catalysts for development, unity and transformation at the grassroots level”.
The Regional Dean stressed that effective leadership required courage, vision and commitment and urged Presiding Members to place the interests of their communities above political and personal considerations. He said genuine leadership should inspire confidence, promote transparency and ensure that the concerns and aspirations of citizens are reflected in decisions taken by District Assemblies.
He noted that grassroots development can only be achieved when local leaders demonstrate integrity and work in the collective interest of the people.
Mr. Frimpong also urged Presiding Members to strengthen collaboration with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Assembly Members and other development partners to improve local governance.
He further encouraged them to embrace innovation, strengthen accountability and uphold the principles of good governance in all their activities.
“Change begins with us. It starts with how we preside over meetings, how we build consensus, how we engage Assembly Members and how we collaborate with our Chief Executives and other stakeholders,” he emphasised.
He observed that the quality of leadership demonstrated by Presiding Members would significantly influence the pace of development within their districts. Describing the conference as timely and relevant, Hon. Frimpong said it offers participants a valuable platform to assess their performance, share practical experiences, and acquire new knowledge to improve their effectiveness.
He encouraged participants to actively contribute to discussions, exchange best practices, and use lessons learnt to improve governance in their respective Assemblies. He further urged Presiding Members to renew their commitment to public service and work towards achieving sustainable development in their districts.
Hon. Patrick Kwame Frimpong called on all Presiding Members in the Ashanti Region to remain focused on delivering quality leadership that responds to the needs of their communities.
“Together, let us lead the change our communities deserve,” he charged, expressing confidence that the conference would inspire participants to make lasting contributions to grassroots development and strengthen Ghana’s decentralisation agenda.
Mr. Kwadwo Agyei Darko, former Minister of Local Government, stated that Presiding Members are not only Assembly Members, but key actors at the local level.
According to him, the most powerful person at the Assembly is the Presiding Member.
Mr. Agyei Darko said the Presiding Member is expected to represent the Assembly to ensure that resources are properly used for Assembly projects.
He explained that the Presiding Member chairs the general meetings of the Assembly at least three meetings in a year. The former Minister noted that the District Chief Executive is expected to deliver a sessional address at the beginning of the Assembly year. He added that the Executive Committee is the only body that reports directly to the DCE, and that the DCE must have issues to address during such sessions.
He encouraged Assembly Members to submit written reports, read them to the Assembly, and have them discussed. He said once a report is presented, it becomes the property of the Assembly and serves as a basis for promoting development in the electoral areas.
According to him, Assembly Members must be encouraged to present written reports, ask questions during Assembly meetings, and take advantage of the opportunity to help drive development at the grassroots
Mr. Asiedu Adjei, the President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG), tasked members to renew their commitment to public service.
He said the strength of Ghana depends on the strength of local governance, and urged Presiding Members to help strengthen local governance and lead from the grassroots.
The NALAG head entreated members to use the conference as a platform for sharing ideas, strengthening partnerships, and renewing their commitment to public service and tasked them to lead with compassion when their people face hardship.
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