Your comments are dangerous – Amnesty International blasts Kumasi Mayor over threats to traders

Amnesty International Ghana has taken a strong swipe at the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, over what it describes as reckless and undemocratic threats made against traders operating on pavements in the city.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsnite on April 15, the organisation didn’t mince words.

“We find the Mayor’s remarks highly irresponsible,” said Samuel Nyantakyi, a spokesperson for Amnesty International Ghana. “Threatening to unleash men to flog traders is not just unlawful—it flies in the face of human rights and democratic governance.”

The Mayor, during a press conference on April 14, threatened to release his men on those selling on pavements in Kumasi’s central business district, describing his approach as “military-democratic.”

But Amnesty Ghana says such language has no place in a democracy.

“There’s nothing democratic about violence or threats of it,” Nyantakyi insisted. “These traders are not criminals. They are victims of years of poor planning and political inaction.”

According to Amnesty, the issue of street trading stems from systemic neglect, not willful lawlessness.

“We understand the need to keep the city orderly, but enforcement must be humane and legal. What we expect from leadership is solutions, not intimidation,” he said.

Amnesty International is demanding an immediate retraction from the Mayor and a shift in strategy—one that involves dialogue, relocation plans, and protection for the livelihoods of informal workers.

“These are Ghanaians trying to survive. They deserve dignity, not lashes,” Nyantakyi added.