The present and past Chief Executives of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) have faced a daunting task in addressing the filth that has engulfed major parts of the region and the congestion in the Central Business District (CBD). Major drains and rivers continue to be choked with used bottles and other forms of plastic waste. In some instances, individuals dump piles of refuse into these drains, further compounding the sanitation crisis. In the Central Business District of Adum, as well as parts of Kejetia and the Kumasi Central Market, traders and hawkers have taken over pavements and major streets to conduct their business.
Commuters are forced to compete for space with these traders, and footbridges—designated as pathways—have been turned into trading areas. At the Roman Hill section of the Kumasi Central Market, drivers, tricycle operators, and motor riders struggle to navigate freely because traders have occupied the streets to sell their wares. Additionally, some commercial drivers park along the streets to either unload goods or pick up passengers, worsening vehicular traffic and exacerbating congestion in the city. On the main Alabar-Dr. Mensah stretch, motorcycles and tricycles have turned the area into a parking space, forcing commuters and drivers to maneuver their way through to their destinations.
Stagnant water from choked drains along the Alabar high street continues to overflow, flooding the main road. Traders and commuters have no choice but to endure the nauseating stench from the dirty water.
Areas such as Dr. Mensah, Kejetia, K.O., Adhyman Market, and the stretch from Kumasi Zoo to the Racecourse Market are among the worst affected by congestion in the city. Sanitation in these areas remains a daily concern, yet little to no attention is paid to the environmental and health hazards by either the authorities or the traders, who continue to operate in these unsanitary conditions.
The congestion in the CBD and parts of the city worsened when traders were relocated to satellite markets to pave the way for the construction of the second phase of the Kumasi Central Market project.
While some traders agreed to relocate, others—including commercial drivers—refused, fearing they would lose their customers.
Several satellite markets created to ease congestion within the CBD and the Central Market remain underutilized, as many traders have refused to move there, leaving these spaces idle.
For instance, the Afia Kobi (Abinkyi) Market and the Asawase Market currently record low patronage because traders and drivers have not fully occupied them.
The absence of designated parking areas in the CBD and the city as a whole has further worsened congestion, despite private entities establishing parking lots.
I vividly recall the introduction of a night cleaning exercise, which is still in place. However, I doubt it has been effective in addressing the sanitation issues in the metropolis.
Kumasi’s poor sanitation situation is largely due to the lack of enforcement of bylaws and the general public’s attitude toward cleanliness.
The same public attitude can be blamed for the city’s congestion.
The dangers of poor sanitation and congestion must be examined on a broader scale to find sustainable solutions. Failure to do so could result in future disasters, including disease outbreaks that would not only cost lives but also drain the public purse.
The introduction of the monthly cleanup exercise, National Sanitation Day, was making a significant impact in addressing sanitation issues until it was halted.
The COVID-19 pandemic taught us a bitter lesson about the importance of cleanliness in our daily lives, emphasising the need for regular handwashing with soap under running water.
We live in a country where religion is revered—Christians dress properly and wear the finest perfumes to attend worship services on Saturdays and Sundays.
Muslims, on the other hand, perform ablution at least five times a day, washing parts of their bodies before prayer.
Both religions preach that “cleanliness is next to godliness,” yet how well this principle is practiced in real life remains a question for the gods. The next Kumasi Mayor, under the new John Mahama government, will have an arduous task in addressing public attitudes toward sanitation and congestion in the metropolis. In all this, the enforcement of bylaws will be key. The next Mayor must not be one who is easily swayed by political threats, as traders often vow to vote out any government that enforces the laws to the letter.
