The nominee for the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Jirapa Municipality, Peter To-ang, failed to secure the required votes for confirmation in a poll held on Monday. Out of 52 assembly members who cast their votes, 34 voted in favour while 18 opposed his nomination. The assembly was originally made up of 53 members; however, one member had passed away prior to the vote.
What began as a peaceful and orderly exercise was briefly disrupted by a minor altercation, the cause of which could not be immediately established. Security personnel swiftly intervened to restore calm, allowing the process to proceed without further incident.
The confirmation exercise, which is the first in a series across the region, was attended by the Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Charles Luanga Puozuin. Also present were the paramount chiefs of the Jirapa and Ullo traditional areas, regional service commanders, and heads of government departments.
While it remains unclear what immediate steps will follow, the Local Government Act mandates that a second round of voting be conducted within ten working days if the nominee is not confirmed in the first attempt.
In the aftermath of the vote, the Regional Minister convened a closed-door meeting with key stakeholders to deliberate on the way forward for the municipality.
