Physical abuse and use of fear unacceptable - Minority slams Kumasi Mayor's threat to traders

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has criticised the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, for threatening to publicly flog traders who refuse to vacate unauthorised trading spaces within the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, signed by the Ranking Member of the Local Government and Rural Development Committee, Francis Asenso-Boakye, they described the comments as dangerous, undemocratic, and unbecoming of a public officer.

The statement said that while it fully acknowledges that the Local Governance Act (Act 936) empowers Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as the highest planning authorities within their jurisdictions, and it is indeed their lawful duty to enforce bylaws and ensure public order, including preventing trading on pedestrian walkways, this mandate must be carried out within the confines of the law and with full respect for human rights.

“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,” the statement said.

The Minority called on the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development to intervene as a matter of urgency and impress upon the Kumasi Mayor on the need to retract his comments and adopt a more lawful, respectful, and humane approach to enforcement.

The Minority urged 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 added that the goal of decongestion must not be pursued at the cost of livelihoods, and that traders are not adversaries but citizens contributing to the local economy under often difficult conditions.

“We call on the minister to step in urgently and impress upon the Mayor the need to retract his statement and adopt a lawful, respectful, and humane approach to enforcement,” the caucus added.

The Kumasi Mayor’s remarks, made ahead of a planned two-week decongestion exercise, have drawn widespread condemnations, with calls from the public for him to retract his statement and offer an apology.

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Despite the backlash, the mayor has stood by his comments, arguing that the threat of flogging is necessary to restore discipline and cleanliness in Kumasi.

“I don’t believe in using the police for decongestion because I will spend so much on them, and after that, we will get back to the status quo,” he stated.

Boadi said Kumasi is engulfed with filth, and there is a need to deal with it head-on, stating that it is unacceptable for people to cook and sell food in the middle of the road.

MRA/AE

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