Four newly confirmed district and metropolitan chief executives in the Northern Region were on Monday sworn into office at a short ceremony in Tamale.
The four are Messrs Issifu Laa-Bandow for the Zabzugu District, Mumuni Ibn Yacin for the Central Gonja District, James Jaaga for the Bole District and Hanan Abdul-Rahman for the Tamale Metropolis.
They were sworn in according to Chapter 20, Article 243 of the 1992 constitution, which states that "there shall be a district chief executive for every district who shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of not less than two-thirds majority of members of the assembly present and voting at the meeting."
Addressing the new DCEs, the Regional Minister, Mr Bede Ziedeng, advised them to "give a good account of themselves so that people do not regret reposing their confidence in them, thereby creating doubts in their minds about confirming subsequent nominees."
He called on all district assemblies not to allow the delays in the release of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to become an obstacle in the discharge of their duties.
According to Mr Ziedeng, the government is aware of the anxiety caused by the delays in the release of the DACF and that government will solve that problem in due course.
"As you are already aware, the delay is emanating from the challenges in the economy and which is also the result of the election petition and the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure,"he observed.
Mr Ziedeng further reminded the new DCEs to endeavour to be conversant with the relevant legislation governing the assemblies.
The Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Abdul-Rahman, pledged, on behalf of his colleagues, to work hard to justify the confidence reposed in them.
He entreated his colleagues to take on board all shades of opinion to accelerate the development of their respective districts.
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