The United States Government through the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a five-year Performance Accountability Activity (PAA) at Nkwanta on Friday, April 5th 2024. USAID is the donor while Democracy International is the implementor who have sub contracted Africa Disability Institute to carry out the project in Nkwanta South and Nkwanta North municipalities.
The USAID- Ghana PAA is a five-year initiative to support the Government of Ghana in delivering high-quality local public services and enhancing accountability to civil society. The activity supports local organisations, women and youth groups, and traditional and religious leaders to advocate for improved public service delivery.

The project is being implemented by Democracy International (DI) in collaboration with the Government of Ghana partners and local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including Global Action for Women Empowerment (GLOWA) and the African Disability Institute (ADI).

The project will equip service providers to be more responsive to citizens’ demand for quality essentials services, particularly in basic education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, and fisheries.
The PAA operates across 70 districts spanning 10 regions in the country with the aim to empower citizens to demand responsive services delivery. The PAA also aimed to strengthen government management of policy implementation for efficient service and ensure local public service providers adhere to quality standards.

The Municipal Coordinating Director, Frederick Akitty, assured that the Assembly would support the implementation of the activity to transform the lives of the people and improve their living conditions.

Compiled by MIS Team: Emmanuel Sappor & Daniel Ahiatrogah

The staff of Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, participated in a Staff Durbar organized by Management to officially introduce the new Municipal Chief Executive, MCE, of Nkwanta South, Honorable Felix Owusu Gyimah to staff and also discuss pertinent issues relating to the work of the Assembly.

The meeting began with the roll call of staff by the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Frederick Akitty after which he informed staff of the purpose of the meeting.

In his speech, the MCE, Hon. Owusu Gyimah promised to create a conducive working environment for staff. He also appealed to the staff to give their best to bring the needed development to the municipality.

Mr. Akitty took staff through a series of training sessions. The purpose of the training was to update the knowledge of participants on the Service Delivery Standards, Administrative Instructions on MMDAs Organograms and Reporting Relationships.

He also touched on the LI 1961 Local Government Service, the Revised Scheme of Service and the Local Governance Act 2016. The Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Frederick Akitty, reiterated the call by the MCE for the Staff to give their best to the work. They should be able to work without supervision. He reminded staff to be punctual to work.  

The Municipal Coordinating Director answered questions from staff and also addressed staff concerns.

Officials from GCB bank were present at the meeting. They spoke to staff about some of their policies and encouraged them to sign up for them.

Story by MIS Team – Daniel M. Ahiatrogah & Emmanuel Sappor

The President’s nominee for the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Nkwanta South, Honorable Felix Owusu Gyimah, was confirmed by the assembly members of the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly at a special meeting held at the Assembly hall on Friday, February 16, 2024. He secured 39 out of the 43 votes cast representing 90.70% in an exercise supervised by officials of the Electoral Commission.

Honorable Felix Owusu Gyimah, in his acceptance speech, thanked the President, His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the trust and confidence reposed in him to continue implementing government policies and programs in the area. He also appreciated his predecessor, Hon. Bright Kwame Lenwah for his service to the municipality.

Hon. Gyimah thanked Assembly members for confirming him unanimously as the Municipal Chief Executive. He expressed his heartfelt appreciation to all the stakeholders for working to restore and maintain peace in Nkwanta.

The new MCE stressed the need for peace, “Ladies and Gentleman, let us not forget that peace is not static but a continuous process that requires collective vigilance and commitment. We must remain steadfast in our effort to prevent conflict, address individual needs and promote dialogue and understanding among members of our communities,” he stressed.

Hon. Felix Owusu Gyimah, pledged his commitment to the municipality’s development.  “I promise to work tirelessly to change the lives of our people for the better,” he said.

Dignitaries present at the meeting were the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkwanta South Constituency, Hon. Geoffrey Kini, the Oti Regional Minister nominee, Daniel Machator, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Nkwanta North, Hon. Nawugma Kidignang William, former Deputy Oti Regional Minister, Maxwell Blagodzi, the Municipal Coordinating Director of Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly, Mr Frederick Akitty, the parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party in the coming general election.

The MP, DCE of Nkwanta North and the former Deputy Oti Regional Minister took turns to address the Assembly. They urged Assembly members to confirm the President’s nominee for the office of MCE.

The Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Frederick Attiky, who was the last to speak, thanked the Assembly members for confirming Hon. Felix Owusu Gyimah as the MCE. The Director also expressed his appreciation to Nananom for their patience throughout the program and to the Electoral Commission for the voting exercise.

Mr. Frederick Attiky, is hopeful that the new MCE will be sworn into office by next week so he can start work officially as soon as possible.

Before the confirmation of the MCE, the presiding member, Hon. Edward Yagyabrum Yilengne, led the house to approve the following sub-committees – Development Planning, Works, Finance and Administration, Social Services, Justice and Security. The Public Relations and Complaint Committee was also constituted and approved by members. Two honourable members were appointed to the Executive Committee as well.

Images from the event – https://nsma.gov.gh/?p=1220

Story by MIS TEAM: Emmanuel Sappor & Daniel Ahiatrogah

The Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly held a ceremony on Monday, 12th February, 2024, to inaugurate 30 Assembly members elected to the Municipal Assembly and 13 government appointees.

The ceremony took place at the Assembly Hall, with 29 of the new assembly members present. Mr. Frederick Akitty, the Municipal Coordinating Director of Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly, informed the house about the absence of one of the new assembly members. 

His Worship Evans Anang Okropa, the magistrate of Nkwanta South, who represented the Chief Justice, led the new assembly members to swear the official oath and the oath of secrecy after which he congratulated them.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, also MP for Sissala East Constituency, in the Upper West Region, Hon. Amidu Isahaku Chinia, who delivered the President’s speech and later inaugurated the 9^th Assembly of the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly.

The President, His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, charged the new assembly members to serve with selflessness, devotion to duty, accountable stewardship and to preserve the peace of the people to guide development. The President also urged the new Assembly members to work with the Assembly to protect government lands. He wished them a successful tenure.

Also at the meeting were Felix Owusu Gyimah, MCE nominee, Municipal Health Director, Evans Attivor, Chiefs, former assembly members; Heads of departments and agencies, officers of the Electoral Commission, personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the media fraternity and staff of the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly.

The Municipal Coordinating Director of Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly, Mr. Frederick Akitty, in his speech, congratulated the Assembly members for winning the District Level and Unit Committee election held on the 19^th of December, 2023, which recorded a voter turnout of 49.2% in the Nkwanta South municipality.

He reminded the new Assembly members that their electorates will be looking up to them to improve the educational, health, and other developing infrastructure in their communities. “They would be looking up to you for leadership and direction”, he added.

The Municipal Coordinating Director also commended the thoughtfulness and vigilance of the security services and the Electoral Commission for the good work done.

The meeting ended with the election of a presiding member. Hon. Edward Yagyabrum Yilengne, the newly elected Assembly member for Odomase/Asiabre electoral area, was retained as the presiding member with 42 votes out of 44 voters.

The Chairman of the occassion, Nana Meriku Dawohoso I, in his closing remark, congratulated the newly inaugurated assembly members and the government appointees. He urged them to collaborate with the Assembly and their constituents to preserve the peace and also bring about development in the municipality.

Click To View More Pictures https://nsma.gov.gh/?p=1168

Story by MIS Team (Daniel M. Ahiatrogah and Emmanuel Sappor)

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly, Honourable Bright Lenwah, on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, presented five hundred and ninety-nine (599) dual desks to the Education Directorate for onward distribution to schools in the Nkwanta South Municipality.

The presentation is a testament to the ongoing Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions social cohesion (SOCO) project aimed at preventing conflict spillover from the Sahelian countries to targeted northern regions in the Gulf of Guinea countries – Ghana, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, and Togo, by improving the social and economic resilience of those regions.  

Mr Abass Ibrahim, the Municipal Planning Officer, who gave the purpose of gathering at a short handing-over ceremony, disclosed that 48 districts are beneficiaries of the SOCO projects. As one of the project’s components, the presentation aims to mitigate the high deficit of pupils to furniture ratio in schools in the municipality.

“A minimum of 1500 dual desks would be provided to schools in the municipality this year”, the MCE, Hon Lenwah assured.  He expressed the hope that the furniture will be put to good use. Hon. Lenwah encouraged head teachers to make provision for the repair of furniture when they get broken.

The Municipal Director of Education, Mr. Jonathan Korsinah, expressed his appreciation to the MCE and the administrators of the SOCO project for the furniture. “The gesture will go a long way to help some communities where you cannot find a single piece of furniture”, the director stated.  

Story by: Daniel M. Ahiatrogah & Emmanuel Sappor

The third ordinary meeting of the fourth session of the eighth Assembly of the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly occurred on December 12th, 2023 at the Assembly Hall.
The Honorable Presiding Member, Hon. Edward Yilengne welcomed everyone to the meeting and apologized for the postponement due to the conflict in the Nkwanta. He thanked the Hon. Members for turning up in their numbers and applauded them for their good work.
In a speech, Hon. Bright Kwame Lenwah -MCE welcomed the Hon. Members and iterated that we were not in good times. Therefore, everything should be done as fast as possible. He equally used the opportunity to introduce the new Coordinating Director in the person of Mr. Frederick Akitty to the House who was a known face to most Hon. members.
The Hon. MCE pleaded with the Hon. Members for the inability to brief the House about development projects in the Municipality because of the prevailing security situations. He wished those contesting in the elections well and wished they come back so that the good work would be continued. He added that the situation in the Municipality was regrettable but all was not lost yet. He urged all to be security conscious and allowed peace a chance for things to return to normalcy.
The house deliberated on the issues of ex-gratia for honourable members of the fourth session of the eighth Assembly. After extensive deliberation, honourable members agreed on the amount stipulated in the official communique from the Local Government to be given to them as their ex-gratia.
In the closing remarks, the presiding member thanked honourable members for their support throughout his tenure and for the value they have added to the citizens in terms of many developmental projects. He wished those contesting in the pending elections the best of luck and look forward to seeing most of them in the next Assembly.