His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has admonished the members of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) to create innovative ideas to mobilize revenue to augment development and good governance in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. The advice was contained in a speech read on behalf of the President by the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Ing. Dr. Clifford A. Braimah, at the inauguration of the 9th Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly at a ceremony in Sekondi. The President noted that the MMDAs are mandated to support the government to deliver on its programmes and projects and therefore admonished members of STMA to collectively advance the implementation of the government's economic and social development policies. He hinted that the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development has formulated various policies that contribute towards the national development agenda namely, the National Decentralization Policy and Strategy, National Urban Policy and Action Plan, Local Economic Development Policy and National Rural Development Policy. He added that development interventions initiated by the Assembly should pay attention to these policy documents to ensure that the nation collectively moves forward.

His Excellency the President implored the members to acquaint themselves with all the relevant laws on local governance to avoid unneeded conflicts with Chief Executives, Traditional Authorities, Opinion and Religious leaders and other stakeholders in the discharge of their duties. He further indicated that the Institute of Local Government Studies has been retooled with modern facilities to organize orientation for assembly members to deliver well on their mandate. The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Hon. Abdul Mumin Issah, expressed optimism in working with all shades of ideas that the 9th Assembly holds, adding that the diversified expertise of both old and new Members of the Assembly would enable STMA to serve its mission of improving the living conditions of the Metropolis through the provision of sustainable socio-economic development and good governance. He expressed the hope that the 9th Assembly would harness consensus in all decisions to mutually serve the interest of the communities and promote development. He reminded the Assembly Members of their sacrificial call to duty and uphold the bond with traditional authorities, opinion leaders, Unit Committee Members, and exhibit behaviours that would not mar the reputation of the Assembly.

In all, fifty-three (53) members of the Assembly made up of thirty-six (36) elected and seventeen (17) appointees were sworn into office for a four-year tenure. Her Worship Mrs. Bernice Oduro Kwarteng, a District Court Magistrate, swore in the Assembly Members at the inaugural ceremony as they took the Oath of office, secrecy and allegiance. The STMA is made up of fifty-seven (57) members, including the Metropolitan Chief Executive and three members of parliament. On the election of the Presiding Member, Hon. Patrick Brempoh and Hon. Napoleon Agyeman Oduro, Assembly Members for Adiembra and Kojokrom electoral areas respectively, contested for the position. Hon. Patrich Brempoh polled 22 votes, while his contender, Hon. Napoleon Agyeman Oduro garnered 31 for the first round of the contest, which was short of the required two-thirds votes of 38 to win the Presiding Membership. In the second round of voting, Hon. Brempoh got 20 votes against Hon. Agyeman Oduro, polling 33 votes. Since none of the candidates secured the required votes, the meeting was adjourned and expected to reconvene within ten days for the next round of voting to elect the Presiding Member per the Local Governance Act (2016) Act 936.