The Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, has issued a strict two-week ultimatum to traders operating illegally on pavements and roadsides within the city’s central business district (CBD), warning of severe consequences—including threats of physical punishment—for those who fail to comply.
Speaking at a press conference in Kumasi on Monday, April 14, the Mayor announced that from Wednesday, April 16, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) will begin a major decongestion exercise aimed at reclaiming pedestrian walkways and restoring order to the city center.
“This is Otumfuo’s city, this is the garden city of West Africa, and we have to preserve it,” the Mayor stated. “If you want the job to be difficult for me, I will let your body feel the difficulty you are giving to me.”
Mr. Boadi, who took office earlier this year, expressed frustration over repeated failed efforts by the KMA to enforce city by-laws. He said traders often return to unauthorized spots shortly after arrests and confiscations of goods, fueling congestion and chaos.
In a bid to enforce compliance, the Mayor revealed a new strategy he termed a “military-democratic style,” a combination of enforcement with what he described as “forceful deterrence.”
“I have my own military-democratic style which I will be implementing. When we say leave the space, and you don’t leave the space and I get there, and you’re not there and my boys are with me, there and there we will beat you,” he warned.
He went further to caution: “In the middle of Adum, if I’m alone, you will be lucky, but if I’m with my ten boys, in their pick-up with their whips, trust me, we will beat you. If you don’t want to experience that kind of situation, do what is right and lawful.”
The comments have sparked intense public debate in Kumasi, with a section of the population supporting the tough stance as necessary to restore discipline, while others are raising alarms over human rights concerns and the potential for abuse of power.
The KMA, however, maintains that the move is part of its larger goal to restore Kumasi’s image and ensure pedestrian safety. Officials say the city’s reputation as the “Garden City of West Africa” must be protected through decisive and sustainable action.
As the countdown to the April 16 operation begins, attention now turns to whether the Assembly can balance law enforcement with humane treatment, and whether traders will comply voluntarily or risk confrontation.
