Suame Member of Parliament, John Darko, has offered his perspective on the recent controversies surrounding the new Mayor of Kumasi, expressing his backing for the Mayor’s ambition to bring order and cleanliness to the city, while also advising a more tempered approach.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom yesterday, Wednesday, April 16, 2025, the MP commended the Mayor’s evident determination to restore order and cleanliness to Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.
“Our city is in need of help – he mentioned that he wants to clean the city of Otumfuo. And I agree with him wholeheartedly that our city desperately needs to be cleaned up,” Darko stated, adding, “I believe that his recent pronouncements might have stemmed from overzealousness. I am confident that he will be advised accordingly. While I don’t know him personally and haven’t met him, I do believe that the passion he has for Kumasi is ultimately a positive thing.”
The Mayor’s assertive campaign to clear unauthorized structures and street hawkers has elicited a mixed reaction, drawing both praise for his decisiveness and criticism over alleged heavy-handed tactics, including reported threats of flogging defiant hawkers.
While firmly condemning any form of brutality or unlawful enforcement, the Suame legislator emphasized the necessity of robust law enforcement guided by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s regulations.
“Yes, perhaps we should advise him that flogging people is not the appropriate way to proceed – it’s certainly not lawful – but we must ensure that the Local Government Act and the bye-laws of the Assembly are enforced effectively, allowing him to fulfill his mandate,” Darko asserted.
He also appealed for a non-partisan stance on urban management, urging residents of Kumasi and Ghanaians in general to support mayors in their efforts to bring sanity to their cities without undue political interference.
“Let’s take the politics out of these issues and allow the mayors to do their work, so that we can bring some much-needed order and cleanliness to our urban centers,” he added.
These comments from the Suame MP come amidst a significant public debate within Kumasi and beyond regarding the new Mayor’s leadership style, with some residents applauding his decisive action and others expressing serious concerns about potential human rights abuses.
