KMA intensifies decongestion, but pavements still occupied

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has stepped up efforts to decongest the Central Business District (CBD) of Kumasi. However, pavements remain heavily occupied by traders and hawkers, significantly impeding pedestrian movement.

 

Despite the visible presence of City Guards, who are under the leadership of military personnel, the pavements remain crowded.

Many residents have described the situation as a growing nuisance, urging the Assembly to step up enforcement.

 

During a working visit to the CBD, The Chronicle observed that while some progress has been made in clearing traders from the main roads, key areas such as the Unicorn House intersection, Adum PZ, Roman Hill and the Hello FM vicinity remain congested.

Pedestrians continue to compete with vehicles for space, raising concerns about safety and urban order.

 

Exacerbating the problem at Adum are some shop owners who have taken over nearly the entire pavement in front of their shops to display their goods, further restricting foot traffic.

At SAT Morocco, a well-known area for the sale of shoes and stationery-The Chronicle observed that an entire tarred road, completed about a year ago, has been overtaken by traders. Currently, no vehicles are able to use that stretch as it has effectively become an open market.

 

Speaking to The Chronicle, taxi driver Kwaku Antwi praised the KMA’s efforts but called for increased manpower.

“These traders are very recalcitrant. The guards drive them away, but within hours, they return,” he said.

He also criticised shop owners who have turned pavements into extensions of their stores, worsening congestion.

MrAntwi recommended that the Assembly prosecute repeat offenders under its bye-laws to serve as a deterrent.

 

A shop owner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also expressed frustration, describing the hawkers as a nuisance.

“I’ve paid a huge sum to rent this shop, yet hawkers come and take over the frontage. If you complain, they insult you and say you only rented the shop not the frontage,” he lamented.

 

He further noted that some shop owners are forced to display goods outside because many of the new shops constructed in Kumasi are too small to contain their stock.

“This is a structural issue the KMA must pay attention to. If the shops were bigger, we wouldn’t need to use the pavements,” he argued.

 

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the KMA, Henrietta Afia Konadu Aboagye, explained that the decongestion operation is being rolled out in phases. She said the initial focus is on clearing roads, with pavements and other areas to follow.

As Kumasi continues to grapple with worsening congestion, residents are calling for a more comprehensive and sustained approach to reclaim pedestrian walkways and restore order in the city’s bustling commercial center.

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