The Ashanti Regional Dean of Presiding Members, doubling as the Presiding Member for KMA,Hon. Patrick Kwame Frimpong, has called on Presiding Members across the region to embrace visionary, transparent and accountable leadership to accelerate development at the grassroots.
He said Presiding Members occupy a strategic position within Ghana’s local governance system and must rise above partisan interests to champion the collective good of their communities.
Hon. Frimpong made the call in a goodwill message delivered during the Ashanti Regional Conference of Presiding Members held in Kumasi under the theme, “Leading Change at the Grassroots: The Role of Presiding Members.”
According to him, the conference provides an opportunity for Presiding Members to reflect on their responsibilities, exchange ideas and strengthen their capacity to deliver effective leadership in their respective Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Hon. Frimpong noted that Presiding Members are not merely chairpersons of Assembly meetings but are catalysts for development, unity and transformation within their local communities.
He explained that their constitutional mandate places them at the centre of local governance, where they are expected to ensure fairness during Assembly deliberations while fostering consensus among Assembly Members and other stakeholders.
“As Presiding Members, we occupy a unique and strategic position within our local governance structure. We are not only custodians of order and fairness in our Assemblies but also catalysts for development, unity and transformation at the grassroots level,” he stated.
The Regional Dean stressed that effective leadership requires courage, vision and commitment, urging Presiding Members to place the interests of their communities above political and personal considerations.
He said genuine leadership should inspire confidence, promote transparency and guarantee that the concerns and aspirations of citizens are reflected in decisions taken by District Assemblies.
According to him, grassroots development can only be achieved when local leaders demonstrate integrity and work in the collective interest of the people.
Hon. Frimpong urged Presiding Members to strengthen collaboration with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Assembly Members and other development partners to improve local governance.
He also encouraged them to embrace innovation, strengthen accountability and uphold the principles of good governance in all their activities.
“Change begins with us. It starts with how we preside over meetings, how we build consensus, how we engage Assembly Members and how we collaborate with our Chief Executives and other stakeholders,” he emphasised.
He observed that the quality of leadership demonstrated by Presiding Members would significantly influence the pace of development within their districts.
Conference a Learning Platform
Describing the conference as timely and relevant, Hon. Frimpong said it offers participants a valuable platform to assess their performance, share practical experiences and acquire new knowledge to improve their effectiveness.
He encouraged participants to actively contribute to discussions, exchange best practices and use lessons learnt to improve governance in their respective Assemblies.
He further urged Presiding Members to renew their commitment to public service and work towards achieving sustainable development in their districts.
Commitment to Communities
Concluding his message, Hon. Patrick Kwame Frimpong called on all Presiding Members in the Ashanti Region to remain focused on delivering quality leadership that responds to the needs of their communities.
“Together, let us lead the change our communities deserve,” he charged, expressing confidence that the conference would inspire participants to make lasting contributions to grassroots development and strengthen Ghana’s decentralisation agenda.
The conference brought together Presiding Members from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the Ashanti Region to deliberate on strategies for enhancing local governance, promoting accountability and advancing sustainable development at the grassroots level.
