'My mother-in-law took care of me in opposition' – Kumasi Mayor

The Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang, popularly known as Zuba, has revealed that he relied heavily on financial support from his in-laws during the eight years his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), was in opposition.

According to Zuba, who also serves as the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, he considers himself fortunate to have received consistent support from his mother-in-law.

“The truth of the matter is that, for the eight years I was in opposition, most of the time it was my mother-in-law who was taking care of me,” he said during an interview on Nhyira FM.

“Even the car I brought here, was bought for me by my in-law. I’m very lucky to have access to the resources of my in-laws,” he added.

Meanwhile, Zuba has denied allegations that he attempted to facilitate the illegal removal of seized excavators held by the Ashanti Regional Forestry Commission, insisting that his actions were well-intentioned.

On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, five excavators, seized and held as court exhibits in ongoing anti-illegal mining (galamsey) prosecutions, were reportedly taken by individuals claiming to be acting under “orders from above.”

Following swift public backlash, the excavators, which were clearly marked as court exhibits, were returned to the custody of the Forestry Commission.

It later emerged that the attempted removal involved the Kumasi Mayor.

In an interview with JoyNews, monitored by GhanaWeb, Ofori Agyemang stated that he was unaware the excavators were court exhibits.

He explained that they were intended to be used for a planned demolition exercise at the Kejetia Market.

He added that once he became aware of the legal status of the excavators, he ordered their immediate return.

Responding to criticism from some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) regarding his involvement, Ofori emphasized that his intentions were not malicious but aimed at public safety.

“I had good intentions to save lives, but my actions are being misconstrued, putting my name in a bad light. I know public service comes with such challenges, but please, Mr. Ken Ashigbey, I had no intention to misbehave. It was for a good purpose,” he said.

GA/MA