Editor of Newscenta newspaper, Elvis Darko, has advised the Kumasi Mayor, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, to adopt a lawful and economically viable approach to dealing with hawkers operating on pavements in the city, rather than threatening them with physical assault.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily, Elvis Darko reiterated that instead of proposing corporal punishment to deter traders from selling along pavements, the Mayor should focus on deploying effective strategies that both enforce the law and generate revenue for the city.
“Monetising indiscipline brings you so much money, so if he wants to do something now, what he should be thinking about is, how well can I monetise indiscipline? He can spend that money to deploy security there, and anyone who breaches the directive by selling on the pavement pays a fine,” he suggested.
Elvis explained that this system, if well-managed, could sustain itself through the fines collected, which would be used to pay security personnel responsible for enforcement.
He noted that such a model would serve as a long-term deterrent and help restore order more civilly and sustainably.
“He will make too much money to maintain the security personnel, so nobody will come there to sell. He should deploy police officers there and send offenders to court for speedy trials. The revenue is what he can use to finance the security people every day to make sure people do not sell on the pavement,” he added.
His comments come in response to the controversial two-week ultimatum issued by the Kumasi Mayor to traders operating on pavements within the city’s central business district.
Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi warned that starting Wednesday, April 16, 2025, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) would begin a decongestion exercise to evict all unauthorised traders, threatening that those who fail to comply could be lashed.
The Mayor’s remarks have sparked widespread public backlash, with many stakeholders, including political figures and civil society actors, calling for more humane, legal, and structured methods to address the persistent issue of street trading in urban centres.
