Money Used to Clear Filth Could Build Dormitories, Classrooms for Our Children in Schools – Kumasi Mayor Urges Ghanaians to Stop Dumping Waste Into Gutters

The Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, affectionately known as King Zuba, has issued a strong appeal to Ghanaians, particularly residents of the Kumasi Metropolis, to desist from dumping waste into gutters and public spaces. He emphasized that the huge sums of money the Assembly spends on clearing filth and desilting gutters could instead be used to construct dormitories and classrooms for children in schools.

Speaking during the Second Ordinary Meeting of the Second Session of the Eighth Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the 2026 Budget Approval, held at the Prempeh Assembly Hall, the Mayor expressed concern over the persistent negative attitude of some residents towards waste management. He described the act of dumping refuse into gutters, especially during rainfall, as an irresponsible behavior that continues to choke drains, cause flooding, and burden the Assembly’s finances.

Hon. Ofori Agyemang lamented that the Assembly is compelled to spend millions of cedis each year to evacuate waste and clear choked drains—resources that could have been channeled into completing ongoing educational infrastructure projects. He stressed that such practices slow down development and deprive the youth of better learning environments.

“It is very sad to see people throw refuse into gutters. The Assembly spends a huge amount of money every year to clear filth and desilt gutters—money that could have been used to build dormitories, classrooms, and other essential facilities for our schoolchildren,” the Mayor stated.

He added that if citizens adopted responsible waste disposal habits, the city could save substantial amounts of money for development projects that would benefit the entire community. He therefore called on residents to collaborate with sanitation workers and pay small fees for door-to-door waste collection rather than dumping refuse into open drains.

“We must understand that the money used to clean our filth is public money—money that could have been invested in improving our schools and communities. If every household takes responsibility and ensures proper waste disposal, Kumasi will be cleaner, and our children will have better educational facilities,” Hon. Ofori Agyemang emphasized.

The Mayor reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to promoting a cleaner and healthier Kumasi, but cautioned that the success of sanitation efforts depends on the collective discipline and active participation of all residents. He said keeping the city clean is a shared responsibility and not solely that of the Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Hon. Patrick Kwame Frimpong, during the same meeting, raised concerns about the distribution of streetlights within the metropolis. He alleged that some Members of Parliament were allocating streetlights to their political polling station coordinators instead of Assembly Members, who are directly responsible for local development at the community level.

Hon. Frimpong described this practice as improper and appealed to the central government to ensure that development resources such as streetlights are distributed through the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) for fair and accountable management.

The meeting concluded with a renewed call from both the Mayor and the Presiding Member for residents to demonstrate civic discipline, embrace proper sanitation practices, and support local governance efforts to make Kumasi a cleaner, more developed, and environmentally responsible city.