We don’t know who destroyed Danyame vegetation – Kumasi Mayor

The Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Osei Assibey-Antwi has revealed that the Assembly does not know the identity of the developer who allegedly supervised and destroyed the vast green vegetation at Danyame over the weekend.

The Mayor, in an interview with Ultimate News on Monday, stated that his outfit has not given authorization to any individual to undertake developmental project in the prime area.

“Last 3 weeks, in fact, it came to my notice that the developer wanted to start operations and by the time I realized, his machine was there. I even called the Regional Commander, who by his own assistance provided men who went there to clear the people from there. Unfortunately, when we were all busy assisting the king of the land to mourn Nana Barima Akwasi Agyemang, at our blind side, the developer went and cleared the area.”

The heavily vegetated land which borders the Subin River has for years played a major role in checking perennial flooding during heavy downpours.

He further mentioned: “Efforts are being made to make sure that we get whoever is behind it. I have contacted the Regional Lands Department, the officer in charge has no idea about it, I have also spoken to the Land and Special Use, they too have not given that guy any document that will warrant him to be on the land to work and at KMA too, since I am the Chair, we’ve also not signed for the developer any permit; so he has actually offended the city.”

The frequent wanton destruction of vegetation happening in the metropolis has raised serious concerns about the success and commitment to the “Keep Kumasi Clean and Green” project launched in 2018.

The initiative which entails tree-planting, clean up exercises, installation of waste bins across the city forms part of the KMA’s approach to ensure an integrated, collective and comprehensive way to tackle environmental and sanitation challenges.

“It is rather unfortunate that such development has taken place at a time that we’re making all efforts to clean and green Kumasi, so as to take its glory back. Even if you’re having a lease, you can’t go on any land to execute a project without coming to KMA for developmental permit," Mr. Assibey-Antwi intimated.

Residents of Danyame in the Nhyiaeso Constituency of the Ashanti region woke up to find huge earthmoving machines hew down trees and the bushes on the alleged orders of a chief.

Interested bodies like the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and international environmental NGO, A Rocha Ghana last year undertook separate tree planting exercises to support climate action.

The Kumasi Mayor, however, added that: “For now names have cropped up and I have sent my men to go and look for the names that have come up… we’re making efforts to get to the bottom of the issue.”