A demolition exercise by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) turned chaotic on Wednesday afternoon after squatters fiercely resisted the removal of unauthorized structures behind the COCOBOD building near the Asafo Overpass in Kumasi.
The operation, carried out by a KMA taskforce with support from police and military personnel, targeted makeshift structures, including wooden kiosks and shacks, which the Assembly says were illegally erected and obstructing pedestrian movement in the area.
Tension escalated shortly after the exercise began when some occupants attempted to stop the demolition. The situation quickly turned violent as several individuals hurled stones, sticks, and other objects at members of the taskforce in a bid to halt the operation.
Despite the resistance, the taskforce continued with the demolition, pulling down a number of unauthorized structures. However, the team was at one point forced to withdraw temporarily to avoid injuries as the angry crowd intensified its attacks. One member of the taskforce was reportedly struck by objects thrown by the protesters.
As bulldozers cleared the site, traders rushed to salvage their goods from the debris, hoping to recover whatever they could before their structures were completely demolished.
Many of the affected traders expressed frustration over the exercise, claiming they had not received any prior notice from the Assembly. They argued that the demolition would have devastating consequences for their businesses and livelihoods.
“We have been here for years. Nobody told us they were coming to pull down our shops. Where do they expect us to go and sell? This is how we feed our families,” one distressed trader said.
Some occupants also maintained that they had been granted temporary permission to use the land by a private developer identified only as Ali, insisting they were not occupying the area illegally.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly had not issued an official statement regarding the confrontation or the concerns raised by the affected traders.
The demolition exercise forms part of the Assembly’s ongoing campaign to decongest the Kumasi Central Business District, improve pedestrian access, and enforce building, planning, and sanitation regulations across the metropolis.
