Bongo (U/E), Oct. 9, GNA – The Assembly Members of the Bongo District Assembly of the Upper East Region has unanimously confirmed the President’s nominee, Ms Rita Atanga as the first female Chief Executive since the inception of the local government system in 1988.
All the 54 Assembly Members who were present and voted endorsed her, representing 100 per cent.
Ms Atanga, a former zonal school feeding programme coordinator in the Bongo District has, therefore, become the only female to occupy the political office of the district.
Before the conduct of the election, there was a motion, which was finally adopted and all the Assembly Members resolved to endorse the nominee by popular acclamation without going through the secret balloting.
However, Mr Henry Agaabil Addeze, the District Director of the Electoral Commission rejected the resolution indicating that per the Local Government Act, all endorsement such as the confirmation of the DCE, must be done through secret balloting.
The Electoral Commission, therefore, proceeded to conduct the election and all the Assembly Members present voted YES to confirm their resolution and make Ms Atanga the new DCE for the area.
Mr Duke Awinsune Anabah, the Presiding Member for the Assembly, said the unanimous confirmation by members of the Assembly was a clear signal of their efforts at achieving gender parity in leadership and encouraged Ms Atanga to be a shining star for young women in the area.
Ms Atanga expressed gratitude to President Akufo-Addo and the Assembly Members for the confidence reposed in her and pledged to work assiduously to justify it.
The DCE said she would operate an open door policy and collaborate effectively with all stakeholders in the district including the Assembly Members to effectively and efficiently address the numerous development challenges facing the district for improvement of livelihood.
She would focus on working to address issues in the various sectors including education, health, road network, water and sanitation, agriculture among others, she said and appealed to the Assembly Members to maintain the same level of unity and non partisan attitude portrayed in confirming her towards developing the district.
