This year’s National conference of Presiding Members will be held at Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Mr Joseph Korto, National Dean of Presiding members has said.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Korto said the conference, which would be held on November 11, is expected to be addressed by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament and Mr Dan Botwe, Minister of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development.
Others are; Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, CEO of the Jospong Group of companies, Dr. Joseph Oppong Siaw and the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund, Irene Naa Torshie Addo Lartey.
The rest are the Chairman of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Siriboe, Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong and some members of the diplomatic Corps.
The conference will bring together Presiding Members from all the 260 district Assemblies across the country.
Theme for the conference is” Ghana’s digital revolution for a bright future: Role of Local Government.”
Mr Korto said the Vice President had always been supportive in the governance system and his presence at the conference would help in deepening democratic governance at the grassroot levels.
“For Vice President Bawumia, he is being, “the champion of Ghana’s digital age. Arguably, Dr. Bawumia has been the most innovative Vice President in the history of Ghana. We Presiding Members and Assembly Members in general have not lost sight of the fact that he is setting higher standards for the Vice Presidency and we appreciate him for it.”
He said Speaker Bagbin had been a pivot of Parliamentary democracy, having established his legacy as the longest serving MP of Ghana’s Parliament and one of the few longest serving MPs in Africa, only to pick up an even higher duty of service as Speaker of Parliament.
“Naturally as Speaker, he is the father to Presiding Members and indeed all Assembly Members and we his children want him to know that we are proud of his impeccable service so far.”
He also hailed the Speaker for his stance on the LGBTQI+ debate saying Speaker Bagbin, has stood up for the interest of the country and its culture in spite of heavy diplomatic pressure.
“We stand with you sir, in this stance. As Assembly Members, we share the view that the culture of our people frowns on the LGBTQI+ lifestyle and therefore must not be legalized in our country.”
