Nicholas Owen Korletey has been elected as the new Presiding Member of the Shai Osudoku District Assembly, promising to galvanize efforts among assembly members to fast-track development in the district, which he described as long overdue.
In his acceptance speech following a competitive election process, Mr. Korletey lamented the underdevelopment in several communities within the district, citing poor road infrastructure, inadequate access to potable water, and the absence of telecommunication networks in parts of the area. He noted that such conditions were unacceptable for a district located within the Greater Accra Region.
Despite the challenges, Mr. Korletey expressed optimism about his development agenda, stating that his close working relationship with the Member of Parliament for the area—who also serves as the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Linda Obeniwa Akweley Oklu—will be instrumental in driving meaningful change.
The election process, held during a well-attended assembly meeting, was keenly contested by four candidates, despite earlier appeals by some traditional leaders and the Regional Minister for the field to be narrowed to two. In the initial round, Mr. Korletey fell short of securing the required majority. However, in a dramatic turn of events, two of his close contenders, who had garnered equal votes, opted out of the second round. This led the Electoral Commission officials to call for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote on Mr. Korletey’s candidacy. He secured a resounding endorsement, winning with an overwhelming majority.
Prior to the election, ten newly appointed government members were sworn into the assembly, joining 22 elected members to complete the full composition of the district’s legislative body.
Addressing the assembly, Hon. Oklu urged them to exhibit selflessness in the discharge of their duties. She reaffirmed her unwavering support for the assembly and its leadership in achieving sustainable development across the district.
The Minister further appealed to the members to respect the President’s decision by confirming the nominee for the District Chief Executive position when the time comes.
The newly sworn-in government appointees expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and pledged to support the government’s vision of resetting and revitalizing local governance for development.
The Shai Osudoku District Assembly is expected to reconvene in the coming weeks to deliberate on key development priorities and initiate the confirmation process for the President’s DCE nominee.
By Samuel Asamoah
