The Minority Caucus in Parliament has stated the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi must be sanctioned for issuing a threat to flog traders.
The minority urged the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Ahmed Ibrahim, to take action against the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi.
Their comments come following the Kumasi Mayor’s threat to publicly flog traders who refuse to vacate unauthorized trading areas within the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
Francis Asenso-Boakye the Ranking Member of the Local Government and Rural Development Committee called on the Mayor to retract the statement and issue an unqualified apology, describing the remarks as reckless and a threat to democratic governance.
Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), has issued a stern warning to traders selling on pavements in the region.
According to him, any trader found selling on pavements in the central business district will be flogged mercilessly by authorities of the KMA.
Traders selling on pavements have been given a two-week ultimatum to move from these places.
Explaining his new choice of enforcement, the Mayor indicated that conventional enforcement measures, such as confiscating goods and making arrests, have proven ineffective, necessitating a more direct approach.
The mayor issued this warning during a press conference on Monday, April 14, 2025, where he outlined plans for a decongestion exercise aimed at clearing traders from pavements and roadsides.
He stated, “I have my own military-democratic style which I will be implementing. When we say leave the space, and you don’t leave the space, and I get there with my boys, we will beat you.”
“In the middle of Adum, if I’m alone, you will be lucky, but if I’m with my ten boys, in their pick-up with their whips, trust me, we will beat you. If you don’t want to experience that kind of situation, do what is right and lawful.”
Emphasizing the need to maintain order in Kumasi, which he referred to as “Otumfuo’s city” and the “garden city of West Africa”, Mayor Boadi asserted his readiness to take decisive action against resistance.
The mayor added, “We have to preserve it. If you want the job to be difficult for me, I will let your body feel the difficulty you are giving to me”.
The mayor clarified that he does not anticipate criticism for enforcing these measures and urged traders to adhere to the regulations voluntarily to avoid confrontation.
See the post below:
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has urged the Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Ahmed Ibrahim, to take action against the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, following his threat to publicly flog traders who refuse to vacate… pic.twitter.com/PX7E4TlBSO
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) April 16, 2025
