Kumasi Decongestion Exercise: Sellers back on the streets selling unabated
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, under the new boss, Richard Boadi Agyeman aka King Zuba launched a citywide decongestion exercise aimed at clearing street vendors from unauthorized selling points, signs of reversal are becoming evident.
A growing number of traders have resurfaced along key roads and walkways, drawing concern from market unions and residents alike.
The decongestion exercise, which began with high hopes and widespread support, initially saw the relocation of thousands of informal traders to designated markets such as the Kejetia Market. The move was part of a broader strategy to ease vehicular and pedestrian congestion, improve sanitation, and enhance the overall urban landscape of Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city.
However, a recent walk through popular trading zones like Adum, Dr. Mensah, and the central business district reveals a resurgence of hawkers and roadside sellers, many of whom have returned to their old spots. The situation has not only undone much of the progress made but is also sparking tension between the authorities and the organized market unions.
The leadership of the Kumasi Market Traders Association has publicly expressed frustration over what they describe as a lack of consistent enforcement by city authorities. Speaking to Kessben FM, Madam Afia Emmanuel Kwarteng, a spokesperson for the union, called for a stiffer approach.
The union is calling on the KMA and law enforcement to implement a stricter, zero-tolerance policy against unauthorized trading, warning that the continued presence of hawkers could lead to renewed chaos and undermine the integrity of the market system.
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