Six policemen were injured in Kumasi on Monday as a result of a scuffle between them and tricycle operators [commonly referred to as Pragya].
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) since August 1, 2023 has been enforcing a decision to prevent tricycle operators from plying their business in the central business district of Kumasi, as part of security measures to clamp down on reckless riding in the city centre.
Following that, a number of tricycle operators have attempted to flout the directive.
Last Wednesday, some of them blocked roads leading to the central business district in protest.
The KMA is however committed to enforcing the directive and has since impounded some tricycles, following the riders decision to flout the directive.
On Monday, some of the riders attempted to forcibly enter the KMA premises and retrieve the impounded tricycles following which the KMA called in the police for security reinforcement.
The Public Relations Officer of KMA, Nana Afuah Konadu, explained that the policemen called by the KMA to help restore calm after the tricycle operators besieged the KMA offices to retrieve seized tricycles.
Speaking to journalists, Nana Afuah Konadu said the KMA will still go ahead with its decision.
“If you go to the hospitals you will see various injuries they have sustained. We realised the situation was getting out of hand. They were not ready to comply, they were ready to hurt anybody that came their way. They just didn’t allow law or order to work, so the military came in, I think about seven or so came in to disperse the crowd. They have left. As you can see, we are continuing for one week, and it will continue again depending on the state of affairs,” the Head of Communications at the KMA said.
Tricycle operators in Kumasi, on August 2, escalated their protest against a directive to restrict their movement in parts of the Central Business District as the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly vows to implement the policy.
The tricycle operators on Wednesday, August 2, took to the streets and blocked a major road leading to Kejetia, causing significant disruptions to traffic and daily activities.
SOURCE: GraphicOnline
