INAUGURATION OF THE THREE (3) ZONAL COUNCILS OF THE SUAME MUNICIPAL ASSSEMBLY.

As part of efforts to deepen democracy and promote local governance participation, the Suame Municipal Assembly on Thursday, 15th August 2024 inaugurated the three (3) Zonal Councils (i.e. Suame, Maakro and Kronum) at the Assembly Conference Hall.

Present at the inauguration ceremony were the eighteen (18) elected Assembly members, Unit Committee members and Heads of Department of the Assembly.

The Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Johnson Nyarko administered the official oath, oath of secrecy and allegiance to the ninety (90) Unit Committee members made up of Sixty-seven (67) males and Twenty-three (23) females into office.

Five (5) Assembly members from each electoral area and Six (6) Unit Committee members making a total of Eleven (11) members were elected and sworn-in each Zonal Council.

The Suame Zonal Council comprise of Suame Pintinka, New Suame, Old Suame, New Suame Kotoko, Tarkwa and Anumangye Electoral Areas.

Maakro Zonal Council comprise of Maakro, Kantinka Dr. Donkor Forduor, Bremang Central, Bremang East, Nkwontwima and Abusuakruwa Electoral Areas.

Kronum Zonal Council is also made up of Adjei Pepra, Kwapra, Abuohia, Kyerase and Agogoso Electoral Areas.

The Municipal Coordinating Director took members through the functions of the Unit Committee members and advised them to work as a team geared towards the developmental drive of the Assembly.

MASTERCARD BUSINESS PROJECT FOR SUAME MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY.

The Mastercard Business In A Box (BizBox) project is a partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) that provide the needed support to the youth to start-up their businesses through five (5) main pillars namely;

  • Youth Skills Development
  • Access to Market
  • Access to Start-ups kits
  • Youth Social Networks
  • Institutional Strengthening, Policy and Regulatory Support

The project focuses on four (4) components namely;

Agricultural and Agriculture To Entrepreneurship (AA2E)

This component provides participants with competency-based training with farm institutes, Agric Colleges, mindset shift and entrepreneurial skills training and start-up kits.

Apprenticeship To Entrepreneurship (A2E)

This component equips participants with technical or vocational training, mindset shift and entrepreneurial skills training and start-up kits. 

As of now, 200 apprentices have been enrolled on this component.

MSME Business Acceleration (A2E)

This component aims to fast-track the growth of existing women-owned or women-led businesses through Kaizen training.  The training addresses barriers related to access to market and regulatory support.

Currently, 80 applicants have been enrolled on this programme.

Skilled Craft Person (SCP)

This component aims at Mastercard persons who have a lot of experience in their chosen craft and in turn train their apprentice who have enrolled on the project.

So far, 70 Skilled Craft Persons have been enrolled on this project.In the nutshell, 270 persons have benefited from the training program comprising of expert craft persons, apprentices and people with disabilities.

GHANA JOB AND SKILLS PROJECT (GJSP) FOR SUAME MUNICIPAL.

Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) has implemented an Entrepreneurship Training and Grant Support programme with funding from the World Bank to support skills development and job creation in Ghana.

As of now, 120 beneficiaries have been provided with entrepreneurial training to start their own business. The beneficiaries were given three (3) level of training ranging from basic, intermediate and advanced level of training.

All advanced training participates received mentoring and coaching, support with respect to guidance in the preparation of business plan and business registration and licensing.

Start-up grants were given to thirty (30) selected youth in the municipality who successfully sailed through the training up to intermediate level for the first face of the project.

The start-up grants were provided for the following;

  • Purchase of machinery and equipment/ technology
  • Start-up business investment targeted at productivity and growth
  • Working capital such as purchase of raw materials and consumables and payment of salaries.
  • Payment for technical advisory service, training and subscriptions to platforms.
  • Payment for regulatory compliance example. RGD, FDA Registration and License, GSA Certification.
  • Start-up seeking to provide essential goods that helps to mitigate against public health threats.

SUAME MUNICIPAL CELEBRATES 67TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY

Ghana’s 67th Independence Day celebration took place at the Maakro school park. The occasion was graced by the Security services i.e. the Police and the fire service, School Children, Nananom, religious leaders, Hon. Assembly members, Public Servants, Executive of the various political parties and the  General Public.

The March Past was undertaken by a contingent of students, selected from both Public and Private schools and made up of Primary, junior high, senior high schools and the various cadet corps in the municipality. The rhythm for the March pass was played by the Maakro Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church Band.

The Hon. Municipal Chief Executive Mr. Maxwell Ofosu Boakye led by the Parade commander and flanked by the Municipal Director of Education, Municipal Chief Director and the Division Police Commander reviewed and inspected the parade.

The Hon. Municipal Chief Executive of the Suame Municipal Assembly on presenting the anniversary address on the theme – Our Democracy Our Pride stated that the Ghanaian democracy, provides and promotes divergent views. He therefore appealed to the people in the Suame Municipality to help promote and protect the democracy within the municipality. He assured the people that every legitimate means will be taken to promote free and fair election in the municipality during the general 2024 election. He appealed to all voters in the municipality to go and discharge their civil obligation during the 2024 election.

The Hon. Municipal Chief Executive mentioned some of the development projects that the municipality has engaged in, as the provision of sanitation facilities, provision of bridges, roads and health facilities. He concluded his speech by admonishing the people to refrain from acts that promote indiscrimination based on sex, religion, tribe etc.

The Divisional Commander of the Ghana Police Service (Suame Division) Asst. Supt of Police Evelyn Dogbey took the municipal Salute on behalf of the President of the Republic.

The Suame Municipal Assembly awarded all participating schools with certificates and Jerseys were awarded to schools who placed first to third in both the primary and Junior High school category. Two sets of jerseys were also presented to the Suame Municipal Education Directorate and another to the Pentecostal Senior High School for being the only SHS to participate in the march past.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CIVIC EDUCATION – SUAME MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY

EDUCATION ON NEGATIVE EFFECT OF VOTE BUYING/ MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION

Today 5th March,2024 at Resurrection FM 100.5 Kotoko-Abattoir, the populace were educated on vote buying, misinformation and disinformation, individuals are offered money or other incentives in exchange for their vote, distort the democratic process by prioritizing personal gain over the common good.  It can lead to the election of candidates who may not have interest of the public at heart, but rather those who can afford to buy votes.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CIVIC EDUCATION – SUAME MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY

EDUCATION ON CHILD RIGHTS:

Today 6th March, 2024 at Praised Temple Worship Centre – Mpatasie students from various schools were educated on child rights, as we are mandated to educate every citizen to know their responsibilities.  Child protection and issues associated with it were reiterated, as corporal punishments, domestic, sexual violence and exploitation are challenges children face and thus should be protected by law.

TWO DAYS SENSITIZATION ON CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND IT EFFECTS AT KRONUM-KWAPRA.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND IT EFFECTS

The Social Welfare and Community Development (SWCD) of Suame Municipal Assembly (SMA), embarked on two (2) day sensitization exercise at Kwapra residential area on conflict management and its effects. Officers outlined some causes of conflict in relationships which include the different lifestyles of partners, varied opinions, tribal differences, individual experiences while growing up, among others.

Community members were schooled in managing and resolving conflicts and when to seek help from a third part should the need arise.

A total number of residence sensitized were one hundred and thirty (130) of which eighty-six (86) were females and forty-four (44) were males, and twenty (21) houses were visited. 

INAUGURATION OF THE THIRD SUAME MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY

The Suame Municipal Assembly on the 12th February, 2024, held the inaugural meeting of the third Suame Municipal Assembly at the Assembly conference Hall where the following undertake these transactions;

  1. Swearing in of Assembly members
  2. Inaugural address
  3. Election of presiding members.

SWEARING – IN OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

The Suame Municipal Assembly has twenty-six (27) Assembly members are made up of eighteen (18) elected members and nine (9) government appointees has two women among them.

The Hon. Assembly members were sworn-in by his Lordship Emmanuel Mawuli Ekuna the Suame Municipal Magistrate Court judge who administered the Office of Oath, the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Secrecy. Thereafter, he admonished the honorable Assembly member to abide by the tenets of the oaths.

MUNICIPAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S WELCOME ADDRESS

In his welcome address, the Hon. Municipal Chief Executive, Hon Maxwell Ofosu Boakye expressed his heartfelt appreciation to all present for the ceremony. He appealed co-operation among Assembly members as their mandate commences.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Dr. Kwadwo Yeboah, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA) who represented the President, H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo touched on the key issues among which included;

  1. The Assembly should build good working relationship and strong partnership with other structures to enhance their services.
  2. Hon. Assembly members should be encouraged to create new ideas and channel their energy into localized issues instead of always expecting from the central government.
  3. Create innovative ideas that will help maximize their internal generativity fund.
  4. Assembly should maintain close contact with their constituents to rekindle communal activities.
  5. That the local Government Training Schools has been beefed up to provide appropriate training to enhance the skills of Hon. Assembly members.

The speaker concluded by admonishing those Assembly members to be selfless devoted to their duty, abide by the bridge that builds relationship in their constituencies.

ELECTION OF PRESIDING MEMBERS

The Suame Municipal Assembly failed to elect a presiding member after two attempts. When none of the two Hon. Assembly members (Hon. Kofi Boakye Ansah and Hon. Kwadwo Gyamfi) who presented themselves failed to secure the mandated two-thirds twenty (20) votes as mandated by the Local Governance Act (936) Section 17 Subsection 3.

IN ATTENDANCE

The occasion was graced by Nananom, religious leaders, executives of political parties, staff of the assembly and the general public.

CONCLUSION

Due to the inability of the Assembly to elect a presiding member, the meeting was adjourned.

SOME DELEGATES PRESENT AT THE INAUGURATION

SWEARING IN OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

INAUGURATION ADDRESS BY DR. KWADWO YEBOAH, THE ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF LAND USE AND SPATIAL PLANNING AUTHORITY (LUSPA).

ELECTION AND SWEARING IN OF PRESIDING MEMBER.

A GROUP PICTURE OF THE NEW ELECT ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AND THE OFFICIALS OF THE PROGRAM.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CIVIC EDUCATION – SUAME MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY

EDUCATION ON NATIONAL VALUES

Today 7th February, 2024 at Salvation Army JHS, the Office sensitized the public on National values as it is the duty of every citizen of Ghana to uphold the national value of the country.  Student were also urged to embrace positive national values, such as patriotism, respect, honesty, loyalty among others.

TWO (2) DAYS SENSITIZATION ON GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND IT EFFECTS AT SUAME-ABUSUAKRUWA.

GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND IT EFFECTS.

Two (2) days sensitization exercise at Abusuakruwa residential area on Gender Based Violence and it Effects by the Social Welfare and Community Development (SWCD) of Suame Municipal Assembly (SMA). Officers explained domestic violence as an abusive behaviour in any relationship that is used to gain power and control over the other partner such as slapping, hitting, coercing and undermining individual sense of self-esteem.

At the end of the sensitization, thirty-two (32) houses were visited, ninety-three (93) residents were sensitized, of which fifty-eight (58) of them were females whiles the remaining thirty-five (35) were males.