Category: News

At the event the confirmation of the DCE, Nkwanta North Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. John Oti Bless, urged the Assembly members to prioritize unity among themselves in order to confirm the DCE nominee unanimously to ensure progressive development and prosecution of government’s setting the country agenda in the district.

He appealed to the people of Nkwanta North District to unite and support DCE nominee Mr Kudjo Dordoe Isaiah to develop the district if confirmed.

For his part, the Oti Regional Minister Hon John Kwadwo Gyapong whipped the Assembly members to do away with all kinds sentiments and confirm the DCE nominee with hundred percent votes as Krachi East and West did, for the sake of the development of the District.

He pleaded with the chiefs and people of Nkwanta North District to support Mr Isaiah Dordoe Kudjo to develop the district.

During the confirmation, a total of 22 electorates were eligible to vote and the end of polls, DCE nominee, Isaiah Dordoe Kudjo secured a unanimous confirmation.

In his acceptance speech, the DCE thanked members for reposing confidence in him with an overwhelming victory of twenty two of twenty two votes representing hundred percent. He assured the people and major stakeholders in the District of commitment to champion sustainable socio-economic development in the district.

Present there were the Oti Regional Minister Hon John Kwadwo Gyapong, Oti Regional Coordinating Director Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo, The representative of Ubor Konja Tassan VI, paramount chief of Kpassa Traditional Area, NDC’s Constituency and Regional party executives, some heads of departments from ORCC, staff of Nkwanta North District Assembly.

For his part, the Presiding Member welcomed the Assembly members and briefed the house of the constitutional requirement that warrants assembly members to confirm president MCE nominee after the Magistrate of Dambai Magistrate court, his wardship Alhassan Dramani has successfully sworn in the government appointed assembly members.

He urged the members to serve their various electoral areas diligently to ensure development and act in the best of the municipality. Appealed to his colleague members to vote massively for the MCE nominee.

The member of parliament for Krachi East Municipal Hon. Nelson Kofi Djabab in his remarks said, the article 243 of the 1992 constitution mandates to have MCE and God been good, president has nominated the party secretary who will be confirmed today.

He appealed to the Assembly members to vote hundred percent for the MCE nominee Mr Safo Nketia to help him since he will be busy at the parliament.

He ended his remarks by urging members not to break the chain of confirmation that started last week at Jasikan and Guan Districts.

After the election, Mr Safo Nketia pulled thirty (30) votes out thirty (30) representing hundred percent 100% of the total members of thirty.

He ended his speech by appealing to members to kindly give him an ananimous confirmation to prove the competence of the president of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama.

The member of parliament for Jasikan Constituency, Hon. Kofi Adams in his remarks appealed to the people of Jasikan to eschew unity in the Constituency in order to ensure even development as they seek hundred per cent confirmation for the MCE nominee.

The Oti Regional Minister Hon . John Kwadwo Gyapong in his speech assured the people of Jasikan Municipal that, they were going to get the best MCE ever due to his hard work in the party and general humanitarian lifestyle.

 He therefore appealed to members not to hesitate to give him hundred percent (100%) confirmation to set the tone for Oti, as the first district to confirm it’s MCE.

He then task the magistrate to swear- in the government appointed assembly members to have a complete house of thirty nine 39 members for the confirmation. Hon. John Kwadwo Gyapong ended his speech by thanking the Assembly members for the confirmation and congratulated the newly confirmed MCE Hon. parke Davis Magyigbe who pulled thirty three (33) votes out of thirty nine member house representing eighty four points six 84.6 percent of the house.

The confirmed MCE in his acceptance remarks thanked the member of parliament, president regional minister and the Assembly members for reposing confidence in him by giving him an excellent confirmation. He also said ” as I prepare to take my role as MCE, I pledge to listen and learn from my people ” He ended by assuring his Constituency of striving to ensure development in the municipality

He ended his speech by appealing to members repeat the the history that has been set for twice since the beginning of this assembly in on October 8, 2021.

The member of parliament for Guan  Constituency, Hon. Fred Agbanyo in his remarks appealed to the people of Guan to prioritize unity in the Constituency in order to ensure even development as they seek hundred per cent vote confirmation for the DCE nominee.

The Oti Regional Minister Hon . John Kwadwo Gyapong in his speech appealed to members to vote hundred percent (100%) confirmation to affirm the tone Jasikan assembly set this morning.

He then task the Hohoe circuit court judge to swear- in the government appointed assembly members to have a complete house of nineteen members for the confirmation.

 Hon. John Kwadwo Gyapong ended his speech by urging the Assembly members for Guan to do due diligence by confirming the president DCE nominee,  Hon. Godfried Koku Kofie. 

The confirmed DCE, Hon. Godfried Koku Kofie who pulled fifteen (15) votes representing seventy nine percent (79%) of the total number of nineteen assembly member, in his acceptance remarks thanked the member of parliament, president regional minister and the Assembly members for reposing confidence in him by confirming him.

He promise to work hard to upgrade health service delivery in Guan district. He also assured the constituents of his commitment to renovate and complete abandoned educational facilities in the district to enhance teaching and learning in the district. On health, he assured people of empowering Community Water and Sanitation to provide portable water for the district to eliminate waterborne diseases.

The DCE added that, he will lobby with Ghana Irrigation Development Authority to develop irrigation system for the district to boost agriculture due to it been the backbone of every successful economy.

He ended by appealing to his Constituents to unite and support him to develop the district.

The high table was made up of Oti Regional Minister, John Kwadwo Gyapong, member of parliament for Guan Fred Agbanyo, Oti Regional Coordinating Director (chief director) Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo, Regional NDC secretary Gabriel Samora Lamboe, Regional NDC organizer Sulemana Mumuni, assistant 1, prince Latif Oyekunle, Oti Regional Human Resource Manager miss Janet Sambo, Oti Regional Public Relations Officer Ezekiel Yaw Banyibor, Guan District Coordinating Director Sylvester Ayitey, presiding Member for Guan District Assembly etc

Conclusively, the confirmation process ended successful.

The Minister then proceeded to the Krachi West Municipal Assembly, where he presented 𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 to help address the furniture deficit in schools within the municipality.

He further assured the people that the government, in collaboration with private investors, is working towards establishing a water supply system to improve access to clean and safe drinking water in the municipality and surrounding districts.

Additionally, the Minister reiterated the commitment of the Mahama-led administration to constructing a bridge over the Oti River, linking Dambai to Krachi, a project that will significantly boost transportation and economic activities in the region.

He urged the Assembly to prioritize the completion of ongoing projects before initiating new ones and emphasized the need to also focus on the welfare of staff to enhance productivity within the local government structure.

Following the private discussions, Hon. Gyapong met with the entire staff of the Assembly to gather first-hand information on pertinent matters affecting the district. During this session, staff members had the opportunity to voice their concerns and present their ideas for advancing development in Kadjebi.

The Minister then proceeded to inspect ongoing projects within the district, with a key focus on the Kadjebi Lorry Station, which is near completion, pending its final phase. Hon. Gyapong urged the District Coordinating Director to ensure that all ongoing projects in the district are completed before new projects are initiated. Being a native of Kadjebi himself, the Minister assured the people of his commitment to ensuring the successful completion of the lorry station, making it fit for purpose.

Concluding the first day of his tour, Hon. Gyapong visited the ongoing Agenda 111 Hospital Project, which is currently about 50% complete. During his visit, he met with the project manager and encouraged the team to explore innovative ways to fast-track the completion of the hospital. He emphasized the importance of the facility in enhancing healthcare delivery for the people of Kadjebi and beyond.

Hon. John Kwadwo Gyapong’s familiarization tour reflects his dedication to understanding the developmental needs of the Oti Region firsthand and working towards practical solutions. His engagements in Kadjebi mark the beginning of what is expected to be a comprehensive regional tour aimed at driving progress and development across all districts.

During an engagement in the regional capital, Dambai, key stakeholders discussed inclusive decision-making processes that shape the region’s future.

Addressing participants, the Minister acknowledged the invaluable experience of former MMDCEs, stressing that their collective knowledge could help formulate effective policies and strategies.

He emphasized that leveraging their expertise would contribute to sustainable development and improved living standards for the people of Oti.

The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a bottom-up development approach, urging active participation from local authorities, community members, and civil society organizations.

He called for renewed partnerships, encouraging former MMDCEs to collaborate in enhancing the region’s development.

Discussions focused on critical issues such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, and agriculture. Former MMDCEs shared their experiences and lessons from their tenures, offering insights to inform current and future policies.

They also proposed strategies for maximizing local resources and fostering community engagement in development efforts.

Some MMDCEs expressed appreciation for the minister’s initiative and underscored the need for continued support from the central government to tackle challenges such as unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to quality healthcare.

They pledged their support to ensure effective planning and implementation of development projects.

He continued that without tolerance peace cannot reign, adding that the absence of peace stifles development hence necessary for all and sundry to abide by law to promote peace in the area.

The Regional Minister reiterated the commitment of President John Dramani Mahama to complete the ongoing construction of the agenda 111 hospital at Kpassa which started by the erstwhile government aimed at ensure quality health service delivery in the district.

He said his outfit is poised to oversee the construction of the Kpassa – Nkwanta stretch of the Eastern Corridor road within the region for easy and smooth transportation of goods and service as well as open up the area for business.

“I promised you, we are going to construct the Kpassa roads for easy movement of people, no one can do anything to divert my attention from Kpassa,” he said.

He thanked the traditional leaders, opinion leaders and electorates for believing the message of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and voting massively for the party to secure victory in the just ended general election.

Mr Gyapong, however, disclaimed audio circulating in the mainstream and social media alleging his outfit made tribal and demeaning remarks against Konkombas somewhere last year prior to election.

He said the content of the audio is fabricated and should be treated with the necessary contempt it deserve insisting that he worked with Konkombas within the party for over 32 years and could not suddenly dislike Konkombas as suggested in the purported audio.

For his part the Paramount Chief of Kpassa Traditional Area, Ubor Tassan Konja VI, urged the Minister never to forget Kpassa adding that Kpassa faces several challenges ranging from, water, rural electrification, roads network, health service delivery and security as well as youth unemployment among others.

Ubor Konja VI tasked the Minister to as a matter of urgency collaborate with other stakeholders to solve the perennial water challenge to give the people of Kpassa portable drinking water.

He expressed disapproval for lateness and laziness to work which he believe derails development, adding that his work will continue to enhance the chances of the party in the region.

My work relationship will have nothing to do with you but with the outcome or results of the work done, said the Regional Minister.

He continued that his vision is aimed at developing and changing the face of the Oti Region and reiterated his government’s commitment to bridge the Oti River to open up the region for business and fast-track the economic development.

The Minister charged the management of the Oti Region to adhere to the guidelines attached to the budget allocated to the region or face query or disciplinary sanctions from the government.

Commenting on the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), he indicated that government will make a good use of the programme hence will offer the assemblies the opportunity to open up, rehabilitate roads within their jurisdiction to ease the burden on government and also generate revenue for the region during private commandeering of the equipment.

The management meeting with the Minister also discussed several modalities including how to get investors to build factories to process raw products like cassava among others within the region.

“As a businessman, I am ready to assist the ORCC in any business proposal to the suite of investors,” he noted.

For environmental health, the ORCC staff appealed to pay a critical attention to health challenges and ensure effectiveness. The department will constitute the Oti Regional Environmental Taskforce for environmental health unit as well as reinstituting the spot fine initiative as opportunities that can help in revenue generation.

Although the management lamented of posting officers unduly for their alleged political ground, the Minister assured the staff of not repeating menace but rather focus on working to develop the region.

In his closing remarks, the Minister reiterated that his sole agenda was to make the region attractive and different from the form and shape he met the region.

He encouraged the staff to stay focused and look beyond box to leverage opportunities to help generate funds for the development of the region.

In the attendance of the meeting include; Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei OWOO, Regional Coordinating Director; Frank Abonu, Regional Agric Officer; Prince Latif Oyekumle, Assistant Director I; Madam Janet Sambo, Human Resource Manager (HRM); Cynthia Sekyere, Regional Environmental Health Officer; Amidu Mohammed, Statistics Department, Banyibor Ezekiel Yaw, Public Relations Officer, Samuel Edem Kpeli, MIS Officer as well as other heads of departments in the regional coordinating council.

The Oti regional Minister, honorable Daniel Machator in his speech expressed his gratitude to president Akufo-Addo for the confidence reposed in him to serve the people of Oti.

The honorable minister also extended his heartfelt appreciation to the Oti Regional Coordinating Council (ORCC) members, staff of ORCC and the people of Oti for the unwavering support and cooperation given him during his tenure of office

According to him, he worked to promote development in the region, focusing on education, healthcare and economic growth leading to his comittement to improving the lives of the people in the Oti Region has been evident in the various initiatives and projects accomplished.

Honorable Machator ended his speech by urging the incoming leadership to build on the foundation laid by his government and encouraged the people of Oti to continue working together and collaboratively to drive the region forward.

The Oti Regional Coordinating Director (Chief director) Reverend Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo in his address called on the RCC members to to join hands and work together to end 2024 on high note.

He also enphasised that, unity and teamwork among RCC members, stressing on collective agenda as necessary to the achievement of the council’s goals .

The chief director louded departments that submitted quarterly reports on time, adding that, the achievements were particularly notable if it aligns with the requirements outlined in the Local Government Act, 2016(ACT 936) specifically section 79.

He also said the ORCC is committed to trancparency, accountability and good governance which was driven by the timely submission of reports leading to the principle of effective public administration.

Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo ended his address by suggesting recognizing the best performing departments will motivate the rest of the departments of ORCC to strive for execelence in their reporting obligations, resulting to improved governance and development in Oti.

 The high table was made of the Oti Regional Minister hon. Daniel Machator, the Oti Regional Coordinating Director Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo.

The Oti Regional Minister, Daniel Machstor, speaking at the performance contract signing ceremony, described the move as foundational exercise that underscores ORCC’s commitment to excellence in local governance and service delivery.

The event, he said is guided by the mandate of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), which establishes a framework for decentralized governance and the effective management of our Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs).

“The performance contracts we sign today serve as a benchmark for accountability, a tool for performance evaluation, and a road map for achieving developmental priorities,” he said.

According to him, performance contracts are not mere formalities but represent a mutual agreement between the leadership of the assemblies and the government to deliver measurable results in key areas such as education, health, infrastructure, and economic development.

“It is essential to address some pressing challenges affecting the effective execution of our mandates. Reports from previous years have revealed instances of underperformance, lack of adherence to key deliverables, and inefficiencies in some assemblies. This situation cannot and will not be allowed to continue,” he noted.

He continued that consequent to the issues of non-performance of assemblies, government has outlined measures, ranging from warnings to potential terminations aimed at fostering accountability and ensuring that all staff and management perform their duties effectively.

Mr Machator urged the Municipal and District Chief Executives and Coordinating Directors not to only go about setting targets but also about inspiring your teams to achieve them.

“ I encourage you to adopt a hands-on approach, ensuring that the priorities outlined in these contracts are effectively translated into actionable outcomes,” he stated.

This, he added the Human Resource Managers also play a pivotal role in this process by implementing robust performance management systems and cultivating a culture of continuous learning, to help address underperformance before it becomes a systemic issue.

For his part, the Chief Director of ORCC, Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo, recounted how the council had received a circular from the local government directing the council to supervise the signing and submission of the performance contract.

According to him, the essence of the performance contract is for service delivery hence the staff of the local government were employed to ensure efficient service delivery to the public.

Professionalism of the staff of local government,  participation of opinion leaders and other stakeholders which is key in service delivery as well as accountability to the public are the cardinal principles and standards of service delivery.

He urged transparency, efficiency,  effectiveness among staff in the use of the public resources in their line of duty.

To him, it’s not only the signing of the performance contract that is important but the implementation and there is the need for all MDAs to ensure a successful implementation of the document hence the ORCC will not hesitate to punish any MDA or staff that fails to performance in their discharge of mandate.

Rev. Owoo continued that client focus is also another standard of the Local Governance and there is the need for all the clients unit of the MDAs are effectively functional.

Financial management and reporting,  human resources management in terms of recruitment, posting among others as well as social service and local economic activities are key in the performance contract.

Rev. Owoo however charged the management of various assemblies to comply with the indicators in the performance contract and incorporate same in their performance contract document.

The three important planning documents under review, he said include the zoning guidelines and planning standards, the manual for the preparation of spatial planning and the new planning model to guide spatial planning practice in the country published under the Town and Country Planning Department in 2011.

These, he mentioned was guided by the town and country planning ordinance Act 1945 (CAP 84) and the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) which have been repealed following the enactment of the land used and spatial planning Act 2016 (Act 925) and Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936); hence the need to review the documents to align with the current Land Use and Spatial Planning legislation to make them more relevant.

Rev. Owoo indicated that the review of the documents will give opportunity to update the spatial planning documents with current standards and development trends by the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) and other stakeholders.

The ORCC, he added is mandated to provide for sustainable development of land and human settlements through a decentralized planning system to ensure judicious use of land in order to create an enabling environment for District Assemblies to better perform the spatial planning and human settlements management functions within the Region.

This, he noted the Regional Spatial Planning Committee was inaugurated and set into motion on 20th August 2020, this was followed by the inauguration of all the District Spatial Planning Committees in October 2020.

He lamented the inability of the Regional Spatial Planning Committee to meet regularly due to financial challenges but had chocked significant successes.   “These include; the preparation of a Local Plan on a 250 acres land donated by the chiefs during the inauguration of this region. Major infrastructural developments are ongoing there under guides of this plan,” he noted.

“It is also worth noting that under the direction of the Regional LUSPA, the RSPC had been able to prepare a draft Structure Plan (SP) for Jasikan, Biakoye, Krachi East, and Nkwanta South. Plans are also under way to replicate it in the remaining five Districts. A proposal has also been done to prepare the regional Spatial Development Framework (SDF) by December 2025,” he said.

For his part, GIZ technical advisor for PAIRED programme, Robert Obenyah, believes the technical workshop marks a significant step toward achieving collective goals thus, providing a platform for knowledge exchange, and innovative solutions that will drive the refinement of our spatial planning systems.

“PAIReD cooperates with public institutions at the national level as well as 60 MMDAs across all 16 regions of Ghana to employ good governance principles that contribute to sustainable development as well as create an environment that improves the lives of Ghanaians,” he stated.

PAIReD works in five areas of intervention by improving the domestic revenue system, strengthening expenditure management according to development plans, fostering land-use planning, fighting corruption and illicit financial flows and strengthening capacities of media and civil society for accountability.

“By working together, we can address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, ensuring that our spatial planning frameworks are not only effective but also resilient and adaptable,” he said

GIZ PAIReD,he said stands firmly committed to supporting the revision process that serves the interest of the state actors represented here, who depend on these documents to provide services to the citizenry. “We believe that through open dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaborative effort, we can ensure that Ghana’s spatial planning framework continues to propel the nation towards a sustainable and prosperous future,” he noted.

He encouraged all security personnel present to reflect on the significance of peace and stability to the development of our dear nation and offer prayers for its sustenance.

The Honorable Minister reminded officers and men of the security services that their duty is to ensure that all Ghanaians—regardless of political affiliation—exercise their democratic rights in an environment that is peaceful, safe, and free from intimidation.

Commanding Officer (CO), 66 Artillery Regiment (66 Arty Regt) – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Jalali Din Ibrahim, mentioned that the gathering signified the Security Services’ collective commitment to ensuring peace, unity and stability in the country.

He made the statement when addressing the audience during the regional launch of the DRIP initiative in Dambai, the capital of the region.

“The programme is expected to create direct jobs, stimulate local economic development and reduce post-harvest losses since farmers will have improved roads to transport their farm produce to the market and improve general service delivery across the country,” he said.

Distribution

Mr Machator mentioned that under the DRIP initiative, every Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies within the region will receive equipment such as Shackman Dump truck, Backhoe, Concrete Mixer, Roller, Bulldozer and Motor Grader among others.

The equipment, he said were procured by the government in collaboration with J. A Plant Pool to improve the road network across the country.

This, he said J A Plant Pool is expected to play a key role in providing maintenance support to the Assemblies unlike other models in the past.

Accountability

“To ensure there is efficiency and value for money for the MDAs in particular and the state as a whole, every MDA is required to submit a management committee for the equipment to eliminate completely the misuse of the machines. I would like to urge all traditional leaders to take keen interest in what happens to these machines,” he stated.

Mr Machator charged the MDAs to ensure proper usage of the equipment for the intended purpose and demanded for a good maintenance culture by the managers or engineers of the machines across the region.

“Permit me to indicate that the DRIP is the President’s initiative with the aim of enhancing the country’s road network by decentralizing road infrastructure development to the MMDAs,” he said.

He cautioned MDCEs and other stakeholders against the use of the machines for their personal gains, adding that government will not hesitate to deal ruthlessly with the perpetrators if caught in the act.

For his part, the Oti Regional Coordinator for J. A Pool, Abdulai Safian, said the project is expected to create over 5,000 jobs nationwide for the benefit of the citizenry.

He added that the about 32 mobile service vans have been deployed across the country to provide a 24/7 maintenance for the equipment.

According to him, as part of J. A Pool’s mandate, it seek to install tracking devices on the machines to ensure its effective usage and fuel management.

Personalities present were Oti Reginal Minister, all the nine MDCEs, Regional NPP Party Executives, the Chiefs, Regional and Municipal heads of departments.

He sought prayers and the support of all traditional authorities in the performance of his duties as Minister for the Oti Region and stated his tolerance for constructive criticism and their counsel.

His team visited some ongoing and completed projects in these Assemblies to inspect the progress of work. He assured them of the government’s resolve to complete and commission most of the projects by December so they could be put to use.

Accompanying him on the tour were Hon. Janet Emefa Adibo, DCE for Guan, Mrs. Elizabeth Anim Adjornor, MCE for Jasikan, Mr Evans Yaw Dapaah, Regional Chairman for the NPP, Mr. Jonathan Akpabeh, Regional Secretary, NPP among others.