The Amansie South District Assembly in the Ashanti Region has failed to elect a Presiding Member after two rounds of voting, throwing the leadership of the legislative body into uncertainty and raising concerns over potential delays in development projects.
The election, held at the District Assembly Auditorium in Manso Adubia, saw the two contestants—Hon. Augustine Fosu Asamoah (Assembly member for Apɛnamadi) and Mr. Edward Amo (Assembly member for Abiram)—deadlocked on both occasions.
Out of 40 expected votes, two assembly members were absent. In both the first and second rounds, Hon. Asamoah secured 19 votes while Mr. Amo received 18. Neither candidate was able to attain the constitutionally required two-thirds majority needed to secure the position.
The exercise was supervised by Electoral Commission officer Mr. Eric Anane, with additional oversight from Mr. Awudu Yahaya.
Ahead of the vote, the outgoing Presiding Member, Hon. Samuel Amponsah, popularly known as “Home Boy,” had appealed to members to secure a decisive “one-touch” victory to avoid procedural delays. His appeal, however, went unheeded.
DCE Expresses Concern
Speaking to the media after the inconclusive exercise, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Amansie South, Hon. Benjamin Marfo, described the situation as troubling, though not unprecedented. He noted that a similar impasse had occurred in the neighboring Manso Nkwanta District, which was eventually resolved.
“An Assembly without a Presiding Member cannot effectively conduct its business. This situation, if prolonged, will affect time management, finances, meetings, and ultimately the development of the district,” Hon. Marfo said.
He remained hopeful that consensus would be reached at the next sitting. “I strongly believe that in the next ten days, we will be able to elect a Presiding Member to move the district forward,” he added.
Next Steps
Following the deadlock, the Electoral Commission has officially rescheduled the election for ten days from now, in line with electoral procedures governing such stalemates.
Some assembly members and both contestants expressed disappointment but described the outcome as not insurmountable. They pledged to engage with colleagues and work toward a successful election in the next round.
The Assembly now faces pressure to resolve the impasse and restore full functionality to the district’s governance structure.
