The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nandom, Hon. Anthony Ziniel, on Wednesday, 21st May 2025, paid a courtesy call on the Nandom Traditional Council to formally introduce himself and seek the blessings and support of the chiefs and queenmothers.

The MCE and his team were warmly welcomed by Naa Demepeh Gyereh, the Ko Naa, who represented the Regent of the Nandom Traditional Area, Mr. David Aasonaa Chemogoh Delle.

In his welcome remarks, the Ko Naa noted that the Nandom Traditional Area is made up of 32 divisional areas, 26 of which currently have chiefs, with six 6️⃣ seats vacant. He also mentioned that there are 16 divisional queenmothers, while 12 positions remain unoccupied.

Addressing the gathering, Hon. Ziniel expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and pledged to work hand in hand with the Traditional Council to drive development in the municipality. He assured the chiefs and queenmothers that he would put his best foot forward and remain open to collaboration.

He raised concerns about market women trading on the shoulders of roads, highlighting the dangers it poses to both traders and road users. He appealed to the Traditional Council to help encourage traders to return to the designated market areas.

The MCE also sought the Council’s support in revenue mobilization and the collection of property rates. He announced that a percentage of all revenues collected would be allocated to the traditional leaders to support development initiatives in their respective communities. Additionally, a portion of these funds would be returned to the four traditional zones—Nandom, Ko, Puffien, and Baseble—to be used for local development projects. Communities themselves would also receive a share to fund their own projects.

To improve accessibility and foster stronger communication, Hon. Ziniel declared Thursdays as official days for receiving visitors. He encouraged chiefs and Queen Mothers who wish to see to call in advance and he would meet with them at their palaces when necessary to prevent them from waiting unnecessarily at the Assembly premises during busy hours.

The MCE also acknowledged the contributions of past Members of Parliament and MCEs for Nandom and committed to continuing the development projects they initiated.

The Traditional Council, in response, raised a number of issues affecting the area. These included the indiscriminate cutting of trees, rising teenage pregnancy, and increasing cases of alcoholism. Road safety was also mentioned as a growing concern due to the increasing number of accidents recorded in the municipality.

They also expressed alarm over the rising trend of drug and substance abuse among the youth and called for a multi-stakeholder approach to tackle the issue. The chiefs further urged the Assembly to regulate tractor services, especially those operated by individuals from outside the municipality. They called for all such service providers to be registered and issued permits before operating in Nandom.

In his closing remarks, the Regent, through the Ko Naa, pledged the full support of the Traditional Council to the MCE and the Assembly, expressing confidence in their ability to work together to achieve positive outcomes for the people of Nandom.

Source: Mohammed Abdulai