The once vibrant city of Kumasi is in serious disarray. Disorder and chaos are what the CBD (Adum) has become. Adum today can be likened to a giant junkyard with the many shops selling mainly imported second-hand items and poor-quality goods from south Asia. Roads are strangled, blocked, seized and turned into markets leading to stressful traffic situations. Lorry terminals are closed by city authorities without decent alternatives provided.
Buildings are in ruin and are in need of serious rejuvenation. Night life and areas of decent entertainment are speeding towards extinction.
Aside the conspiratorial agenda of the recent NDC government to sideline the city, Kumasi’s decline can also be attributed to the citizens disregard to simple by-laws and misplaced sense of entitlement. The monarchy, the local assemblies and the city’s elite have failed to capitalise on the extreme goodwill they enjoy to lead the modernisation drive. I call on Manhyia Palace to live up to its role and be the catalyst for Kumasi and Ashanti’s industrialisation agenda.
Strong manufacturing base drives the growth of a city and it is pathetic that the overlords of the city and the region haven’t prioritise this.
Manufacturing is where decent jobs are created and taxes generated for local governments. It must be a matter of great concern that a city of this population size does not have an aggressive agenda to attract factories and industries. Foreign goods have a near monopoly of our cities’ markets.
Asantehene must realise that he risks superintending over a precipitous decline of the capital city he inherited. Every reign has its own battles to fight and there’s a new war upon us. It threatens the continued relevance of this once formidable kingdom. We are at war against extreme economic decline, unemployment, poverty and ignorance.
Otumfuor Osei Tutu II, Nana, put on your armour, get your generals in line. Your city and your Kingdom must win this war.By David A.
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By David A. Masterwille