Adum fire: assembly members block swift move to demolish three affected buildings
Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly members have also called for more community engagement in Adum, including visits to the affected area, consultations with the fire victims and a meeting with the “Golden Stool”, before any final decision is made
Members of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) have pushed back against a proposal to demolish swiftly three buildings affected by the recent fire in the Adum Blue Light area, demanding more scrutiny and consultation before any such action is taken.
The report on the fire, which gutted sections of the commercial district on 21 March, was presented formally to the assembly by the local spatial planning committee on Thursday (17 April).
The document, reviewed by Asaase News, has identified the Nana Akwasi Agyemang building, a KMA building situated opposite Kumasi Central Market and another KMA facility occupied by the Watch Sellers Association as earmarked for demolition, noting that “most of the structural members showed signs of complete failure”.
But local leaders, led by the assemblyman for Nhyiaeso, Abraham Boadi, say they need more time to assess the situation before endorsing any demolitions.
“We thought we needed enough time to read the report very well, because this is a decision that, once approved, becomes a working document,” Boadi told Asaase News’s Belinda Baaba Baidoo.
“They want to demolish [these] three buildings and reconstruct them, but we don’t even know the source of funding or how exactly they plan to go about it.”
More scrutiny
The assembly members have also called for more community engagement, including visits to the affected area, consultations with fire victims and a meeting with the “Golden Stool”, before any final decision is made.
The report has been returned to the committee for further review. KMA is expected to reconvene once revised recommendations are submitted.
“To demolish three buildings in Kumasi will affect many people. We cannot just come now and give you an endorsement to do that,” Boadi said.
The delay is expected to affect timelines for recovery and reconstruction efforts, but the assembly insists a cautious approach is necessary to protect the interests of residents and businesses.
Reporting by Belinda Baaba Baidoo for Asaase News, Kumasi
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