KMA to Sanction Residents Who Shun National Sanitation Day Exercise
Kumasi Mayor orders shop closures as KMA moves to penalise traders who skip National Sanitation Day.
- KMA warns of sanctions for residents who avoid monthly sanitation exercises.
- Low participation among traders continues despite awareness campaigns.
- Mayor orders CBD shops to stay closed until 2 p.m. as a deterrent measure.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has announced plans to sanction individuals and traders who refuse to participate in the monthly National Sanitation Day exercises.
On Saturday morning, Kumasi’s Central Business District (CBD) appeared unusually calm, with most shops remaining closed as part of the observance. By 8:30 a.m., the typically busy streets were largely deserted, save for a few people idling in front of locked stores.
Despite repeated calls by government and local authorities for active citizen participation, many traders continued to avoid the cleanup activities, choosing instead to wait until the exercise ended before resuming business.
Environmental Health Officer Kwaku Poku expressed frustration over the persistent low turnout, particularly among shop owners and attendants.
“It has been a source of worry to the Assembly whenever we organise this kind of exercise—the participation has been quite low. We expect the shop owners and attendants to support us in that regard,” he said.
Mr. Poku noted that even after extensive public awareness campaigns, compliance remained poor, forcing the Assembly to consider stricter enforcement.
He added that Kumasi Mayor Richard Kwasi Ofori Boadi Agyemang has directed the implementation of new measures to ensure full participation in future exercises.
“It is a national exercise, so everybody is supposed to partake in it. Those who refuse to take part will face sanctions so that everyone understands its importance,” Mr. Poku stated.
Earlier in the day, the Mayor ordered that shops in the CBD remain closed until after 2 p.m.—a measure intended to penalise traders who have repeatedly ignored previous cleanup directives.
The KMA says it remains committed to promoting a cleaner and healthier Kumasi but insists that success will depend on collective responsibility and strict enforcement.
