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Berekum East MCE justifies allowances for Assembly Members

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Berekum East, Abubakari Fatimatu, has defended the payment of allowances to assembly members, describing the initiative as not only justified but critical to strengthening grassroots governance.

Date Created : 12/2/2025 : Story Author : Emmanuel Frimpong/Ghanadistricts.com

Speaking in an interview with Ghanadistricts.com, the MCE noted that assembly members play an indispensable role in the decentralization system, acting as the first and most accessible point of contact for citizens within their electoral areas.

According to her, many community concerns ranging from sanitation issues and minor infrastructure faults to security alerts—are first reported to assembly members long before they get to municipal officials or central authorities.

She stressed that such frontline responsibilities require time, mobility, and personal resources, which make modest financial support necessary.

“Assembly members sacrifice a lot on behalf of the people they represent. They handle community pressure daily, even before these issues reach any office. Supporting them with allowances is a good initiative, she said.

As a former assembly-member, the MCE added that well-motivated assembly members are better positioned to monitor government projects, mobilize community participation, and provide reliable feedback on local development needs.

The soft-spoken MCE also dismissed claims that the allowance payments might constitute a financial burden on the municipal assembly, insisting that the initiative, aligns with national efforts to equip local representatives to perform their duties more effectively and efficiently.

She charged assembly-members to reciprocate the gesture by working hard through improved collaboration more with the heads at the Assembly to Foster development and improve the lives of the people.