The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in the Ashanti region is battling a huge legacy debt burden of GH¢142 million, a situation that continues to constrain development efforts in Ghana’s second-largest city, the Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, popularly known as Zuba, has revealed.
According to the Mayor, the debt was inherited by the current administration and has been reduced through negotiations with the Assembly’s creditors.
He disclosed that although significant progress has been made—particularly through the settlement of 1,452 court cases,there remains an outstanding judgment debt of about GH¢100 million.
Mr. Ofori Agyemang Boadi made these disclosures yesterday during an interaction with journalists at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly headquarters, where he outlined the major challenges confronting the Assembly and appealed to the media to partner the KMA in educating residents on key development programmes to ensure their smooth implementation.
He explained that the heavy debt burden limits the Assembly’s ability to channel adequate resources into critical infrastructure and social services, stressing that public understanding and cooperation are essential if Kumasi is to overcome its developmental bottlenecks.
The Mayor identified sanitation as one of the most pressing challenges facing the metropolis, describing it as a long-standing problem that requires massive financial investment and behavioural change.
He disclosed that Kumasi generates approximately 3,000 tonnes of solid waste daily and would require an estimated €600 million to create additional waste disposal sites to sustainably manage the city’s growing refuse problem.
“Sanitation has been a challenge,” he said, adding that efforts to decongest pavements and markets would be difficult until the completion of Phase Two of the Kejetia Redevelopment Project and the Krofrom Market.
As part of measures to improve sanitation, Mr. Ofori Agyemang Boadi announced that night-time street sweeping would be suspended from February and replaced with a morning sweeping schedule.
He therefore appealed to traders and market women to cooperate with sanitation officers by granting them access to markets and trading spaces to enable effective cleaning.
Despite the challenges, the Mayor assured residents that the Assembly has ambitious infrastructure plans for 2026 aimed at improving mobility, safety, and the overall outlook of the city.
Among the key projects outlined are the construction of roads from the Santasi Roundabout to the Asokwa Interchange, the building of a new bridge, and the removal of all shipping containers between the Ahodwo and Santasi roundabouts before Wednesday.
This, he explained, is to pave the way for the development of a dual-carriageway to ease traffic congestion along that corridor.
Touching on the stalled Suame Interchange project, Mr. Ofori Agyemang Boadi noted that about 75 % of the project falls within KMA’s jurisdiction.
He expressed optimism that with the assurance of central government funding, the contractor would soon resume work to complete the strategic interchange.
The Mayor further disclosed that about 240 solar-powered street lights have been installed across the metropolis to enhance night-time visibility and security, particularly in crime-prone areas.
In a major cultural boost for the city, he revealed that the President has pledged to construct an ultra-modern theatre in Kumasi, with four sites already earmarked for consideration.
Other social infrastructure projects announced include plans for a new paediatric centre to improve child healthcare delivery, the construction of a dormitory block for Kumasi Islamic Senior High School, and ongoing efforts to expand water and sanitation coverage.
According to him, water supply coverage in the metropolis currently stands at 84.4% , while water-closet sanitation coverage is about 68 per cent, figures the Assembly aims to improve significantly.
Mr. Ofori Agyemang Boadi stressed that cleanliness remains a top priority for the Assembly, noting that a clean and orderly city is key to attracting investors and boosting economic growth.
“No investor would want to invest in a dirty city,” he said, emphasizing that improving sanitation is not only about health but also about making Kumasi a competitive and investment-friendly destination.
He renewed his appeal to the media to support the Assembly’s public education drive, stating that informed citizens are more likely to cooperate with development initiatives.
“Together with the media, we can educate our people about our programmes so that collectively we can build a safe, smart and investment-friendly Kumasi,” the Mayor said.
The Mayor’s remarks were echoed by the Metro Development Planner, Mr. Charles Kwasi Agyei, who provided a statistical overview of Kumasi’s rapid growth and development trajectory.
Mr. Agyei disclosed that Kumasi’s population is projected to reach about 500,000 by 2029, underscoring the urgent need for accelerated infrastructure development and effective urban management.
He also noted that female labour force participation in the metropolis stands at 51 per cent, reflecting the growing role of women in the local economy.
He added that the city has witnessed extensive expansion in education, health, and road infrastructure, trends that must be supported with proper planning, sanitation, and sustained investment.
As Kumasi continues to expand, city authorities insist that overcoming the debt burden, improving sanitation, and strengthening collaboration with residents and the media will be crucial to shaping a resilient and prosperous metropolis.
