Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Mr. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, popularly known as Zuba, has appealed to media houses to intensify public education on the city’s development programmes to ensure their smooth implementation.
Speaking during an interaction with journalists at the KMA headquarters today, the Mayor outlined key challenges confronting the Assembly and stressed the critical role of the media in helping residents understand and support ongoing and planned projects.
Mr. Agyemang Boadi disclosed that the Assembly is still burdened with a legacy debt of GH¢142 million.
Although negotiations with creditors have significantly reduced the amount, an outstanding judgment debt of about GH¢100 million remains after the settlement of 1,452 cases.
Sanitation, he noted, remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the metropolis. According to him, Kumasi generates approximately 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, and an estimated €600 million is required to develop additional waste disposal sites.
“Sanitation has been a major challenge. There is no way we can clear traders from the pavements until Phase Two of the Kejetia redevelopment project and the Krofrom Market are completed,” he stated.
The Mayor also announced changes to the city’s sanitation regime, revealing that night-time street sweeping would be suspended from February and replaced with a morning sweeping schedule. He appealed to traders to cooperate by allowing sanitation officers access to market areas.
On infrastructure, Mr. Agyemang Boadi outlined several major projects scheduled for 2026, including road construction from the Santasi Roundabout to the Asokwa Interchange, the construction of a new bridge, and the removal of all shipping containers between the Ahodwo and Santasi roundabouts to pave the way for dual-carriageway development. He indicated that the containers were expected to be cleared by Wednesday.
He further revealed that 75 per cent of the Suame Interchange falls within KMA’s jurisdiction and expressed optimism that with central government support, contractors would soon return to site to continue work.
In the area of security and beautification, the Mayor said about 240 solar-powered street lights have been installed across the metropolis to improve night-time safety. He also disclosed that the President has pledged to construct an ultra-modern theatre in Kumasi, with four potential sites already earmarked for consideration.
Additional planned projects include the construction of a new paediatric centre, a dormitory block for Kumasi Islamic Senior High School, and improvements in water and sanitation coverage. Currently, water supply coverage stands at 84.4 per cent, while water-closet sanitation coverage is at 68 per cent.
Emphasising the importance of cleanliness, Mr. Agyemang Boadi said a clean city is essential for attracting investment. “No investor would want to invest in a dirty city. Cleanliness remains a top priority for the KMA,” he stressed.
He reiterated his appeal to the media to help educate the public on KMA programmes, noting that collective effort is needed to build “a safe, smart, and investment-friendly Kumasi.”
The Mayor’s remarks were supported by the Metro Development Planner, Mr. Charles Kwasi Agyei, who provided a statistical overview of the city’s growth.
He noted that Kumasi’s population is projected to reach 500,000 by 2029, with women accounting for 51 per cent of labour force participation.
He also highlighted significant expansions in education, health, and road infrastructure across the metropolis.
