A comment made by the Kumasi mayor, Richard Boadi, during a recent press conference has sparked debate over the approach to decongestion efforts in the Ashanti Regional capital.
Speaking on Monday, April 14, the mayor announced that the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) would begin a forceful decongestion exercise on Wednesday, April 16, targeting traders operating illegally on pavements and roadsides.
In what has since stirred public concern, the mayor stated, “I have my own democratic military style, which I will be implementing. When we say leave this space and you don’t leave this space, and I get there, and you’re not lucky and my boys are with me, there and then, we will beat you.”
Responding to the comment during an interview on GH TODAY with Lily Mohammed, Prof. Benedicta Yayra Fosu-Mensah, a member of the NDC Communications Team, downplayed the Mayor’s remarks, insisting they were not to be taken literally.
“Yes, well, I don’t think that the Mayor really means what he said,” Prof. Fosu-Mensah remarked. “I mean, NDC, we believe in order, but we believe in order with dignity. And in Ghana, there are laws and rules. There are law enforcement agencies. And so individuals cannot just go about beating people.”
According to Prof. Fosu-Mensah, the Mayor’s statement was likely an attempt to scare traders into compliance rather than a declaration of violent intent.
“He might have just said that to put fear into people that, look, we are not supposed to sit where you are not authorized to sit and sell. And also the fact that we are talking about decongestion to allow for free movement of individuals within the city and also allow for a more clean environment.”
She emphasized that the NDC, as a party, stands for law and order but firmly rejects any form of violence or abuse of power in implementing those principles.
“I believe that the Mayor, being an NDC, knows that we believe in order. And also the fact that we cannot infringe pains on people because we want to have order in our city. And so whatever he said, he really didn’t mean it. He just wanted to instil some fear into individuals.”
As the KMA rolls out its decongestion initiative, all eyes will be on the execution of the operation and whether the Mayor’s rhetoric translates into reality or remains a mere warning shot to deter illegal trading.
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