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Traders at Bantama and the Race-Course Market have once again come under scrutiny for allegedly defying a city-wide sanitation exercise organized by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), despite repeated public announcements and prior notice.
The latest incident, which occurred during a scheduled clean-up exercise across the metropolis today, has sparked renewed debate about civic responsibility and compliance with sanitation directives in the Ashanti regional capital. While city authorities and sanitation workers were actively engaged in desilting choked gutters and clearing accumulated waste, a significant number of traders in Bantama were reportedly seen busily going about their buying and selling activities.
According to sources within the Assembly, several announcements were made ahead of the exercise to notify traders and residents to suspend commercial activities and participate in the clean-up effort.
The sanitation exercise forms part of KMA’s broader strategy to improve environmental cleanliness, prevent flooding, and reduce the risk of sanitation-related diseases within the metropolis.
However, observations from the Bantama and Race-Course areas painted a contrasting picture. While excavators and sanitation teams labored to clear debris-filled drains, some traders appeared largely unconcerned, continuing their routine transactions as though no official directive had been issued.
The situation has been described by some city officials as a “growing trend of disregard” toward sanitation directives within parts of the metropolis. They argue that such conduct undermines the Assembly’s efforts to maintain Kumasi’s status as one of Ghana’s major commercial and cultural hubs.
Critics say the repeated non-compliance demonstrates a worrying level of indiscipline and lack of civic engagement. “It is disheartening,” one official remarked, “to see authorities and even the city mayor personally involved in sweeping and desilting gutters, while some of the very individuals whose activities contribute to the filth remain indifferent.”
Indeed, images of the Mayor of Kumasi taking part in clean-up activities have often circulated on social media, symbolizing leadership by example. Yet, the persistence of non-compliance in certain markets raises questions about enforcement mechanisms and community participation.
On the other hand, some traders privately argue that frequent interruptions to business activities affect their daily income, particularly in a challenging economic climate.
For many, market days represent critical opportunities to earn a livelihood, and halting operations, even temporarily, can have financial implications.
Sanitation remains a major urban challenge in many fast-growing cities, and Kumasi is no exception. Choked gutters contribute significantly to flooding during the rainy season, while poor waste management increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera and other sanitation-related illnesses.
The KMA has, over the years, intensified its sanitation campaigns, emphasizing shared responsibility between authorities and residents. The Assembly’s vision includes creating a cleaner, healthier, and more orderly metropolis, but this objective requires cooperation from all stakeholders, particularly market traders whose activities generate substantial daily waste.
Observers note that without consistent participation and strict enforcement, sanitation exercises may have only temporary impact. Sustainable cleanliness, they argue, must go beyond periodic clean-ups to include behavioral change, strict adherence to market regulations, and continuous public education.
The latest development at Bantama has prompted calls for stronger enforcement of sanitation bylaws.
Some residents believe that sanctions against non-compliant traders could serve as a deterrent, while others advocate for intensified education and stakeholder dialogue to foster voluntary compliance.
As Kumasi continues to expand as a commercial nerve center, the responsibility for maintaining a clean and healthy environment cannot rest solely on city authorities.
The collaboration of traders, transport operators, residents, and local leaders remains crucial.
For now, the defiance witnessed at Bantama underscores a pressing challenge for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly: how to balance enforcement with engagement, and how to instill a culture of sanitation consciousness that transcends announcements and scheduled exercises.
Until that balance is achieved, the vision of a consistently clean Kumasi may remain a work in progress.
source:Ayisah Foster
