The Minority Caucus have slammed the newly appointed Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, over his recent threat to beat traders operating on pavements within the city’s central business district.
In a statement signed by Ranking Member Francis Asenso-Boakye, he described the mayor’s remarks as “reckless,” warning that such behavior risks undermining public confidence in local authorities and may expose the Assembly to potential human rights violations.
''Violence, threats of physical abuse, and the use of fear as a governance tool are unacceptable in any form and have no place in a constitutional democracy like ours. The remarks made by the Mayor are not only reckless, but also risk undermining public confidence in local authorities and may expose the Assembly to potential human rights violations.''
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While the MPs acknowledged that Assemblies are legally empowered under the Local Governance Act (Act 936) to regulate public spaces and enforce bylaws, they emphasised that these powers must be exercised within the boundaries of Ghana’s democratic and legal framework.
The Minority is calling on the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development to “intervene as a matter of urgency” and ensure the Mayor retracts his comments.
The statement urged the government to advocate for a more lawful, “respectful, and humane approach to enforcement.”
According to the MPs, any meaningful attempt at decongesting Kumasi’s central business district must be done in collaboration with those most affected: the traders.
“We urge the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to engage meaningfully with the affected traders, and work with all relevant stakeholders to identify and provide suitable alternative trading spaces,” they said.
They warned that decongestion “must not be pursued at the cost of livelihoods,” describing the traders not as lawbreakers but as “citizens contributing to the local economy under often difficult conditions.”
The statement concludes with a reminder of the kind of local governance Ghanaians deserve—one that is “inclusive, accountable, and human-centred.”