Kumasi Pragya Riders Protest Alleged Harassment and Extortion by KMA
Pragya riders protest alleged extortion and harassment by Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly officials
- Kumasi tricycle operators protest alleged harassment and extortion by KMA
- Operators demand legalisation and regulation of tricycle operations as promised in NDC manifesto
- Protest sees tricycles parked across the city, halting operations and drawing attention to grievances
Scores of commercial tricycle operators, widely known as Pragya riders, took to the streets of Kumasi on Thursday, November 20, to protest what they describe as ongoing harassment and extortion by officials of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).
The operators parked their tricycles across the city, preventing others from working and compelling many to join the demonstration. Pragya tricycles have become a popular mode of intra-city transport in Kumasi and across the Ashanti Region.
Two years ago, KMA restricted the movement of these tricycles, banning them from several major areas within the Central Business District. While operators initially resisted, they later complied with the directives. However, concerns over mistreatment by KMA task forces have resurfaced.
Seidu Mubarak, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Union of Tricycle Operators, Ghana, addressed the “Enough is Enough” protest, outlining the grievances of the riders.
“We are here to demonstrate against the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly over harassment, extortion, and the continued disregard for the challenges we face as tricycle operators. Despite numerous appeals, our concerns remain unheard,” he said.
Mubarak added that the operators are presenting their petition to KMA and the National Democratic Congress, referencing the party’s promise in its manifesto to legalise and regulate tricycle operations—a commitment that has yet to be fulfilled.
