Three KMA Officers Injured As Asafo Demolition Exercise Turns Violent
Three officers of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) were injured after a demolition exercise at Asafo, behind the COCOBOD building in Kumasi, turned violent on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
The operation, which was aimed at removing structures obstructing drains and waterways to allow for the desilting of drainage systems ahead of the rainy season, was met with fierce resistance from some occupants of makeshift structures at the site.
According to the KMA, the occupants, whom the Assembly described as illegal settlers, attacked members of the task force and city guards with stones and other projectiles, leaving three officers injured.
The attackers also allegedly vandalised Assembly property, damaging a pick-up truck and an excavator deployed for the exercise.
Reacting to the incident, the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, condemned the violence and reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to enforcing sanitation regulations and preventing flooding in the metropolis.
“There is no way I will sit down and allow illegality to overcome me,” the Mayor said, adding that the damaged vehicles would be repaired and returned to operation.
He further disclosed that the injured officers had reported the incident to the police and were receiving medical treatment.
However, some of the affected residents defended their actions, insisting they had legally acquired and paid for the land. They claimed they were not given prior notice before the demolition and questioned where authorities expected them to relocate after the exercise.
The KMA has maintained that the demolition forms part of its ongoing efforts to clear waterways and improve drainage to minimise flooding during the rainy season.
