Women’s Coalition Condemns Mayor’s Threat to Flog Traders

The Women’s Manifesto Coalition (WMC) has vehemently condemned recent remarks by the Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, over threats to flog roadside traders in the city.

In a press statement issued on April 17, the Coalition described the Mayor’s comments, made during a press conference on April 14, as unacceptable and a violation of democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law.

The group called the threats an extraordinary attack on the dignity and safety of vulnerable people, particularly women working in the informal sector.

They strongly opposed what it called the Mayor’s “military-democratic” intentions, emphasizing that such threats amount to extraordinary attacks on human rights and the rule of law.

While acknowledging the need for order and sanity on the streets of Kumasi, the Coalition stressed that any action to address the issue must be carried out lawfully and with respect for human dignity. “We also crave for sanity on our roads, cities and towns,” the statement read, “but Mr. Mayor’s approach is unethical, abhorrent, contemptible, and violates the principles of human and women’s rights.”

The Coalition expressed particular concern about the potential impact of the Mayor’s threats on women, many of whom make their livelihoods through informal street trading. “We cannot sit in our comfort zones not believing the probability that many of those intended traders who would meet the objectionable wrath of your boys might be women eking a living on those streets of Kumasi,” the statement noted.

While the Coalition expressed support for efforts to restore Kumasi’s status as the Garden City, it emphasized that such efforts must align with democratic values and legal standards. “The vulnerability of people in the informal sector is real, and what they need is support, compassion, and empathy—not scorn and intimidation,” it added.

However, they called  on the Mayor to lead with solutions that empower and sustain livelihoods rather than threaten them, the WMC urged the public and authorities to remain vigilant against any measures that could lead to human rights violations.

“We are supportive of democratic measures that sustain universally acceptable outcomes,” the statement concluded. “What we will continue to reject are threats of harm to individuals or groups, as such measures harm their well-being and lead to the highest level of denial of human rights and social justice.”

Below is the full statement 

PRESS STATEMENT ON THREATS OF INTENDED FLOGGING OF TRADERS BY THE MAYOR OF KUMASI, MR. RICHARD OFORI AGYEMANG BOADI

 The Women’s Manifesto Coalition (WMC) writes to express our denunciation of the recent remarks by the Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, at his Press Conference of April 14, 2025, in Kumasi. His threats and intended actions of unleashing flogging on treaders on roadsides of that city are unacceptable and should be considered as extraordinary attacks that threaten the bedrock principles of a nation that has chosen to institutionalise democratic values.

By this condemnation, we are in no way aligning ourselves with the alleged identified unruly behaviour of the involved traders, not in Kumasi or anywhere else in Ghana. On the contrary, we also crave for sanity on our roads, cities and towns and wish for an environment in our streets that is not encumbered by encroachers threatening our movement and safety.  However, Mr. Mayor’s “military-democratic” intentions are unethical, abhorrent, contemptible, against the rule of law and violate the principles of human and women’s rights. As an organization that seeks the welfare of women in this country. We cannot therefore sit in our comfort zones not believing the probability that many of those intended traders who would meet the objectionable wrath of your boys might be women eking a living on those streets of Kumasi. This is a very high possibility.

Your intentions to clean the streets of Kumasi and restore the status of the Garden City are noble and meet with our support. However, that must be done within the remit of the laws of this country and respect of the rights of those persons in order to preserve their safety and dignity. The vulnerability of the people in the informal sector is real and what they need is support, compassion and empathy to conduct their enterprises legitimately. The primacy of scorn and intimidation of violence being promoted by you is unacceptable. Rather we expect you as a leader to proffer solutions that empower and sustain livelihoods. Ghana has moved a long way and has put its trust in the various institutions that are intended to strengthen the country’s democratic development.  We want to assure Mayor Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi that we are supportive of democratic measures that sustain universally acceptable outcomes.

What we will continue to reject are threats of harm to individuals or group of women and men as such measures harm their wellbeing and lead to the highest level of denial of human rights and social justice.

ACCRA

APRIL 17, 2025

Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh