Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Adentan, Akosua Manu, has fiercely criticised the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, following his threat to unleash his men on traders operating on pavements within the city.
Manu, speaking during an appearance on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily, condemned the mayor’s comments as dangerous and unacceptable in any democratic system.
“What I do not understand is that somebody put into a leadership role can stand in front of people to warn or threaten that physical assault will be a given. And I am shocked to hear that when he was called, he reiterated the position,” she said, expressing disbelief over the mayor’s unapologetic stance.
According to Manu, the mayor’s reiteration of his threats should have led to his immediate removal from office. She argued that such conduct flies in the face of good governance and must not be allowed to go unchecked.
“He should have been the shortest-serving appointee in this government. Upon hearing that he had repeated physical assault as a likely punishment to deter hawkers, as soon as he said that, the President should have called the Chief of Staff to remove him from office.
In no way in our governance should that be tolerated, from anybody,” she asserted.
Manu did not hold back, insisting that the mayor’s approach sets a dangerous precedent that could be replicated by other city officials across the country.
“For reiterating that point, I am saying by now if it was Nana Akufo Addo’s government, KMA Mayor would have been withdrawn, and a new person will be appointed. There is no justification for reiterating,” she stressed.
She further warned that the mayor’s comments have the potential to incite disorder and inspire similar actions in other municipalities if not addressed promptly.
“He is creating an avenue for chaos. This template let’s say, he does it, Accra Mayor will also follow, then Tamale. If his boys will do the work, he should bear in mind that it has to be in a very civil way; it should be in a very humane way. Nobody should beat anyone,” she concluded.
