Arrest those using my name for favors - Kumasi Mayor

The Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, has ordered for the immediate arrest of hawkers in the city claiming he offered them certain unauthorized places to sell their wares.

According to him, he had not sanctioned for any trader to ply his/her trade in the streets and other unapproved areas in the city, and asked the security agencies to take note and act accordingly.

The order comes after reports emerged that some traders that were arrested recently mentioned his (mayor’s) name as the one who asked them to sell there.

At a meeting with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Taskforce, the Police, Fire Service and the Prisons personnel in Kumasi, the mayor was told in the face that some traders were using his name to indulge in illegality.

“Some of the traders that were apprehended whilst trading in the streets quickly said they relate to the Kumasi Mayor and so we should let them go”, one policeman complained.

He added that the traders had developed habit of mentioning the Mayor’s name when they were arrested for doing the wrong thing.

In his response, Hon. Assibey said: “I can never do such a thing”.

“Henceforth, any recalcitrant trader that will be arrested in the city and would attempt to use my name to gain his/her freedom, should be arrested again and sent to the station for the law to deal with them”.

He said the ongoing decongestion exercise is meant to beautify Kumasi “and everybody in the city, including even the mayor himself, should not be spared if he does the wrong thing”.