Simon Osei-Mensah Condemns Kumasi Mayor’s Threat to Flog Defiant Traders
Osei-Mensah Says No Legal Basis for Mayor's Corporal Punishment Warning
Former Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, has strongly criticized the recent pronouncements by Kumasi Mayor, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, who threatened to flog traders who disobey the city’s ban on pavement trading.
Mayor Boadi announced a two-week decongestion exercise, set to commence tomorrow, Wednesday, April 16, 2025, aimed at removing traders operating on pavements and other unauthorized locations within Kumasi’s central business district. He issued a stern warning that those who defied the directive would face corporal punishment.
“If I am alone, you will be lucky. But if I have my 10 boys in their pick-up with me and their whips, trust me, we will beat you,” Mayor Boadi declared.
In response, Mr. Osei-Mensah has unequivocally denounced the mayor’s approach, asserting that Ghanaian law does not sanction flogging as a method of enforcement.
“There is no law supporting it,” he stated during an interview on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu, broadcast earlier today.
He further urged authorities to explore more humane and lawful alternatives to address the persistent issue of street trading in Kumasi. He suggested that providing designated trading zones for vendors to operate legally would be a more effective and ethical solution than resorting to threats and violence.
When questioned whether he would have adopted a similar approach during his tenure as Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Osei-Mensah firmly responded, “No,” clearly indicating his disapproval of the mayor’s tactics.
The comments from Mr. Osei-Mensah, made from the Greater Accra region where he is located, highlight the growing debate about appropriate methods of urban management, particularly in a key commercial hub like Kumasi. The controversy underscores the need for city authorities to implement policies that are both effective and compliant with the rule of law.
