The Minority Caucus on the Local Government and Rural Development Committee of Parliament has sharply criticized Kumasi Mayor, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, over what they describe as “reckless” and “uncultured” remarks made during a public address on the city’s ongoing decongestion and sanitation campaign.
The latest backlash follows the Mayor’s controversial declaration on April 16, 2025, in which he threatened drastic action against livestock owners, stating that stray cattle within the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) jurisdiction would be slaughtered and served as meals to inmates at the Kumasi Central Prison.
“If you have cattle and if they stray in the vicinity of KMA, be assured that from May 1, they will be killed and given to Kumasi Central Prison for food,” the Mayor warned, citing the airport-to-Manhyia route as a particular area of concern.
“I cannot sit, for visitors come to Kumasi [and] from the airport to Manhyia, and all they see is faecal matter from cattle.”
But it wasn’t just the cattle comment that raised alarm.
Boadi also touted the adoption of what he called a “military-democratic” enforcement approach against traders who fail to comply with decongestion directives—comments that have triggered widespread public outrage and parliamentary concern.
In the strongly worded statement issued on behalf of the Minority Caucus, Francis Asenso-Boakye, Ranking Member on the Local Government and Rural Development Committee, condemned the Mayor’s posture.
“Violence, threats of physical abuse, and the use of fear as a governance tool are unacceptable in any form and have no place in a constitutional democracy like ours,” Asenso-Boakye asserted.
“The remarks made by the Mayor are not only reckless, but also risk undermining public confidence in local authorities and may expose the Assembly to potential human rights violations.”
While acknowledging that the Local Governance Act (Act 936) gives Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) the mandate to enforce bylaws, including ensuring public order on pedestrian walkways, the Minority insisted that enforcement must always be lawful and respect human rights.
“We fully acknowledge the duty of MMDAs to enforce the law,” the statement continued, “but this mandate must be carried out within the confines of the law and with full respect for human rights.”
The Minority is now demanding swift intervention from the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.
“We call on the Minister to intervene as a matter of urgency and impress upon the Mayor the need to retract his comments and adopt a more lawful, respectful, and humane approach to enforcement,” Asenso-Boakye emphasized.
Beyond condemning the Mayor’s language, the Minority called for greater engagement with affected groups.
“The goal of decongestion must not be pursued at the cost of livelihoods,” the statement read. “Traders are not adversaries—they are citizens contributing to the local economy under often difficult conditions.”
The KMA’s recent 14-day ultimatum on stray cattle comes as the Assembly grapples with escalating public health and safety concerns.
Data from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) in 2024 revealed over 10,000 road crashes nationwide, with nearly 2,000 fatalities.
In Kumasi alone, more than 120 accidents were linked to roaming animals.
In addition, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture estimates farmers to lose approximately $2 million annually due to crop damage caused by stray livestock.
The animals have also been blamed for blocking drainage systems and worsening sanitation in urban neighbourhoods.
But for the Minority Caucus, these challenges do not justify draconian enforcement measures or inflammatory rhetoric.
“Clean and organized cities can and must be achieved through collaborative planning, education, and lawful enforcement—not intimidation and violence,” Asenso-Boakye concluded.
“Let us all commit to building a country governed by the rule of law, compassion, and respect for the dignity of every Ghanaian.”
–BY Daniel Bampoe
