The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has demolished illegal structures in the Asafo area as part of an ongoing exercise to decongest the Kumasi Central Business District and enforce building and sanitation regulations.
The operation, carried out with bulldozers, was met with resistance from some occupants, who allegedly pelted members of the KMA task force with stones and other objects. At least one task force member sustained injuries during the exercise.
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KMA officials said the operation targeted unapproved structures that posed sanitation and security concerns. They explained that no prior notice was given to occupants to prevent attempts to obstruct the exercise.
Affected traders, however, insisted they had occupied the land legally after making payments to local authorities and the railway authorities. They argued that they had developed the area over the years and that the demolition had destroyed their businesses and sources of livelihood.
The exercise affected several small businesses, including shoemaking, grocery shops and beverage vendors, with many traders expressing concern over the loss of both their workplaces and homes.
The KMA maintains that the decongestion exercise will continue as part of efforts to restore order, improve sanitation and enhance security within the Kumasi Central Business District.
