The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) last Friday, carried out a major demolition exercise at the Bayakasua slum behind the COCOBOD building around the Asafo interchange.
The move was part of the KMA's efforts to improve sanitation and public safety, restore order and reclaim public spaces from unauthorised occupation and criminal elements within the Kumasi metropolis.
Led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Richard Ofori-Agyeman Boadi, Last Friday’s operation, which began around 6:30 am, resulted in the demolition of more than 500 unauthorised wooden structures in the affected area.
The exercise received stakeholder support from personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, Metro Guards, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), and Ghana Water Limited.
Protest
Initially set to have taken place on Wednesday, July 8, it suffered a temporary halt as some officers of the KMA got injured when some residents pelted stones at the team that was deployed to carry out the demolition exercise in the area.
The angry residents also vandalised KMA vehicles and heavy-duty trucks used for the exercise.
Prior notice
Ahead of the exercise, the KMA had issued a statement to caution any group of persons using the area as a base for prostitution, sale of hard drugs or any other form of criminal activities to leave immediately.
It said the assembly would not tolerate the continued use of public spaces for illegal activities and further urged any individual or entity claiming to have lawful authorisation or permit to occupy the area to submit it before the exercise.
It urged all affected persons to comply with the directive to avoid the inconvenience of forceful eviction without any compensation for lost items.
Exercise
The Bayakasua settlement has long been associated with criminal activities, including the sale and abuse of illicit drugs, robbery, prostitution and illegal utility connections.
More importantly, during the exercise, ECG retrieved about 100 illegally connected electricity meters, while Ghana Water Limited also disconnected illegal water connections and repaired damaged pipelines.
Safeguard
In an interview, Mr Boadi said a meeting had been held with top management of the Ghana Railway Authority to safeguard the place which used to be for the authority.
He said extensive stakeholders’ consultation was held ahead of the exercise, paving the way for the thousands of residents living in the area to pack their valuable belongings to make way for the exercise.
He stated that about 70 per cent of the demolition exercise had been completed and gave an assurance that every area that had been turned into a slum and become a hideout for criminals and the trade in illicit drugs would be cleared.
“We are committed to improving peace and security within the Kumasi metropolis for the benefit of residents.
One way to achieve this is the reason behind the demolition of settlements that harbour suspected criminals and miscreants,” he stated.
Affected residents
Some of the affected residents in an interview described the exercise as unfair, as they had been thrown onto the streets with no place to live, saying, “we have been displaced and do not have anywhere to live”.
One of the affected residents who hails from Bawku and had lived there for many years said, “My husband is blind and I am sick as well.
We do not have money to even transport our belongings.”
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