ASSEMBLY MEMBER TALKS TO GRAPHIC NSEMPA (PAGE 9)

By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani

THE Assembly Member for Atonotia North and South Electoral Area in the Berekum Municipality, Mr Nicholas Yeboah-Mensah, alias Joe Amerigo, has appealed to the presidency to seriously consider the inclusion of assembly members, when it came to conferring honours on Ghanaians who had diligently served the country in diverse ways in the future.
In his opinion, the 60-year-old Mr Yeboah-Mensah said, some assembly members have contributed immensely towards the socio-economic development of their respective electoral areas and for that matter, the country should consider them for honours for their dedicated service.
The Atonotia North and South Assembly member, who walked to the offices of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, disclosed to Graphic Nsempa that, he had represented his people in the area as an assembly member, for16 years since the inception of the assembly concept in 1996.
Mr Yeboah-Mensah said, he and other colleagues in the country, who have served in the same capacity as assembly members and contributed their quota to the overall development of the country, ought to have been considered for honours by the president.
According to him, in the last election of assembly members, he went unopposed, because his electorates had realised the good works he had performed, especially in lobbying the assembly to provide potable water, electricity and good roads, to most parts of the area, which in effect had improved the living conditions of the people in the community.
Asked whether the ex-gratia awards for assembly members at the end of their term was not enough honour for them, the Berekum Municipal Assembly member, who looked dejected, intimated that, the ex-gratia awards cut across and so it was significant that the president recognised those who had selflessly and dedicatedly served their electoral areas and conferred honours on them.
In that way, Mr Yeboah-Mensah, expressed the hope that, people who were capable but felt reluctant to put themselves up as assembly members, would be motivated to do so, while those already in there, would work harder than before in order to catch the eyes of the president.