Effutu Assembly fails to elect Presiding Member

Members of the Effutu Municipal Assembly at the weekend failed to elect a Presiding Member after two rounds of balloting.

None of the two contestants obtained the two-thirds of votes required for winning.

Very Reverend Eldad Bonney, the incumbent  polled 17 votes representing 62 per cent while Mr Joseph S. Silver, the Assembly Member for Tufuhen Electoral Area, obtained nine votes representing 32 per cent during the first round.

Before the elections, Mr Anthony Oppong, the Effutu Municipal Electoral Officer, said per the 1992 Constitution, Members of Parliament are ex-officio members of the assemblies as such had no voting powers.

Mr Alex Afenyo Markin, the Member of Parliament for Effutu and Assembly member for Kojo Beedu South Electoral Area, raised an objection and said that he was still the assembly member for the area.

The house, after a two- hour deliberation on the issue, accepted his objection on grounds that there was no provision in the Assembly Standing Orders or the Constitution indicating that when an Assembly member was elected Member of Parliament for a constituency, his or her functions as an Assemblyman ended.

Another election will be held within two-weeks as stated in the Standing Orders of the Assembly.

Source: GNA