The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has demolished about 500 unauthorised structures at the Asafo Interchange as part of an ongoing decongestion exercise aimed at restoring order and improving public safety in the Ashanti Regional capital.
The operation, carried out on Friday, July 17, is said to have covered approximately 70 per cent of the Assembly’s planned exercise in the area.
According to city authorities, the demolished structures had become hotspots for criminal activities, including prostitution and drug trafficking, posing a security threat to commuters and nearby residents.
Speaking to journalists while supervising the exercise, Kumasi Mayor Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi said the Assembly was determined to reclaim public spaces and enhance security across the metropolis.
He explained that the Asafo Interchange was prioritised following persistent complaints from the public and security agencies over the growing criminal activities in the area.
“The Assembly remains committed to restoring order and ensuring that public spaces are safe for everyone,” the Mayor stated.
Mr Boadi further announced that the decongestion exercise would be extended to other crime-prone areas in Kumasi, including the notorious “Tinker Island,” which has been identified as a major hub for illicit drug activities.
“We will hit Tinker Island, one of the popular drug bases in Kumasi, and all other places soon,” he said.
The KMA has assured residents that the decongestion exercise will continue in phases across the metropolis as part of efforts to improve sanitation, public safety and urban planning.
The Assembly also urged traders, squatters and other members of the public to refrain from erecting unauthorised structures and instead utilise designated trading spaces provided by the city authorities.
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