By Enock Akonnor (Managing Editor) enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
Hundreds of Pragya (tricycle) operators in Kumasi staged a massive protest on Thursday, issuing a two-week ultimatum to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to reverse its ban on their activities within the Central Business District (CBD).
The riders, who poured onto major streets in a coordinated show of resistance, vowed to defy the directive if authorities fail to create space for them to operate legally. They warned that after the deadline, they will “invade” the CBD with their commercial services, regardless of enforcement actions.
The KMA has barred tricycle operators from entering the Adum–Kejetia enclave, citing worsening congestion and safety concerns. But for many riders, the ban jeopardises their only source of livelihood. Most of the operators are young men who turned to tricycle transport due to widespread unemployment and limited formal job opportunities.
Seidu Mubarak, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Union of Tricycle Operators Ghana, described the directive as economically devastating.
“Most of our operators are unemployed youth trying to survive. Taking away their operating space without providing alternatives only worsens their situation,” he said. Mubarak added that despite repeated political assurances to formalise the sector, riders continue to face harassment, intimidation, and extortion from local assemblies.
Policy analysts note that tricycles have become an essential part of urban mobility in Kumasi over the past decade, plugging transport gaps left by the city’s limited public transport system. Yet, they argue that the sector remains largely unregulated due to the absence of a comprehensive mobility framework that integrates tricycles into the city’s long-term transport plan.
While the KMA maintains that the CBD ban is necessary to ease congestion and organise transport flow, riders insist the directive is unfair and discriminatory. They argue that without designated alternative routes or clear operational guidelines, the policy disproportionately affects poor, jobless young people who rely on the service for daily income.
The protest has intensified pressure on both the KMA and the central government to accelerate the development of a regulatory framework for the tricycle sector. Operators believe that proper regulation would not only reduce conflicts and harassment but also formalise thousands of jobs for young people struggling to make ends meet.
Stakeholders now await the KMA’s response as the two-week deadline approaches, a period many fear could determine whether the standoff eases or escalates into widespread defiance.
Enock Akonnor is an experienced Ghanaian journalist, based in Kumasi and currently serves as the CEO and Managing Editor of www.leakyghana.com.
With a wealth of expertise built over many years in the media industry, he has earned a solid reputation as one of Ghana’s most sought-after journalists.
Contact:
📞 +233 541 921 562
✉️ enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
