The newly confirmed Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, has ordered traders operating on pavements in the city’s Central Business District and Central Market to vacate their locations immediately, ahead of a major decongestion exercise set to begin next week.

The directive comes as part of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s (KMA) renewed efforts to address chronic congestion and restore order to the bustling Ashanti regional capital.

Speaking shortly after his confirmation on Thursday, Mayor Boadi said the citywide operation will focus on reclaiming public spaces while allowing commercial activities to continue.

“We are not going to use the military,” he stated. “Instead, we will apply innovative strategies to keep businesses active while restoring sanity to Kumasi.”

The mayor, who received overwhelming support from assembly members, also pledged to tackle long-standing sanitation challenges and enforce local by-laws more strictly. He expressed concern over what he described as widespread indiscipline in the metropolis.

“Kumasi should expect cooperation and discipline,” he said. “If you are selling on the pavement or in the middle of a dual carriageway, especially in the central business district, please vacate the area. From Wednesday, we will begin clearing the streets and removing the filth.”

As part of a broader urban renewal agenda, Mayor Boadi also committed to reviving stalled infrastructure projects, including the Krofrom Market and the second phase of the Kejetia/Central Market redevelopment.

“With Kejetia phase two, the contractors are on site, but the pace is not encouraging,” he said. “The regional minister has been working on it. I will be briefed and ensure that by the end of President Mahama’s tenure, the Kejetia Market will be ready.”

The Mayor concluded by stressing that his administration would work to find creative solutions to reduce congestion in key areas like Adum, without displacing traders entirely.

Source:TheDotNews