The Presiding Member for the Mion District Assembly in the northern region, Hon Iddrisu Aminu, has joined the call for the amendment of Article 244(2) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana. He argues the constitutional requirement for Presiding Members to obtained at least two-thirds majority votes has led to some assemblies operating without elected presiding members.
“The issue of presiding members failing to meet the constitutional requirement of Article 244 (2) has become common over the years, leading to some district assemblies operating without Presiding Members” he said.
Article 244(2) states, “The Presiding Member shall be elected by at least two-thirds majority of all the members of the Assembly”.
But, the Assembly member for the Jimli electoral area noted the failure of Presiding Members to meet the constitutional provision has become common over the years leading to some district assemblies operating without Presiding Members.
Consequent to this, he believes an amendment of the law will help to bridge the gap between times that assemblies are dissolved and when new members are reelected.
“I also join my colleagues presiding members to call for a constitutional amendment that will help to bridge the gap between times that assemblies are dissolved and when new members are re-elected.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Iddrisu Aminu made the call to Parliament through the Member of Parliament for the Mion constituency, Mr. Musah Abdul-Aziz Ayaba who participated in the third ordinary General Assembly meeting held on Friday, November 24, 2023.
The assembly discussed and approved the Executive Committee report, the Composite Budget estimates, the Annual Action Plan and Fee-fixing resolution for 2024.
The Jimle assemblyman since joining the Mion district assembly in 2015 has served and chaired various sub committees of the assembly.
He has served as Chairman for the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC), Chairman of Finance and Administration Sub-Committee (2017 to 2022), Member of Development Sub-Committee (2021 to 2022), served as Audit Committee Member from December 2017 to date, served as Tender Committee Member (2017 to 2022) and served as a Member of the Justice and Security Sub-Committee from 2015 to 2019.
Mr. Aminu was elected the Presiding Member after several failed attempts by the members of the assembly to settle on a candidate to chair the affairs of the assembly.
His dedication and commitment to the service of the assembly and his community was a major consideration for him to be elected as the Presiding Member after the assembly failed to settle on a candidate.
Similarly, the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly for several months in 2022 could not also elect a Presiding Member until the intervention of traditional and opinion in the metropolis in October before they could elect a candidate.
