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Amnesty International Ghana has sharply criticised the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, regarding what it calls irresponsible and undemocratic threats directed at traders working on sidewalks in the city.
During an appearance on Joy FM’s Newsnite on April 15, the organisation was quite blunt.
“We find the Mayor’s remarks highly irresponsible,” said Samuel Nyantakyi, a spokesperson for Amnesty International Ghana. “Threatening to unleash men to flog traders is not just unlawful—it flies in the face of human rights and democratic governance.”
The Mayor, at a press conference on April 14, warned he would deploy his men against those vending on sidewalks in Kumasi’s central business area, characterising his strategy as “military-democratic.”
However, Amnesty Ghana asserts that this kind of language is inappropriate in a democracy.
“There’s nothing democratic about violence or threats of it,” Nyantakyi insisted. “These traders are not criminals. They are victims of years of poor planning and political inaction.”
Amnesty asserts that the problem of street trading arises from systemic disregard, rather than intentional lawlessness.
“We understand the need to keep the city orderly, but enforcement must be humane and legal. What we expect from leadership is solutions, not intimidation,” he said.
Amnesty International is calling for an instant withdrawal from the Mayor and a change in approach—one that includes conversations, plans for relocation, and safeguarding the livelihoods of informal workers.
“These are Ghanaians trying to survive. They deserve dignity, not lashes,” Nyantakyi added
credit:mynewsgh
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