By Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News, Canada
In a bold move to restore order and improve road safety, the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly has banned minors and foreigners from operating ‘Adedeta’ tricycles within the municipality.
The directive, issued by the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC), comes amid rising complaints over reckless driving and traffic violations.
Municipal Chief Executive Ben Abdallah Alhassan revealed:
“Our statistics currently put their total number at around 3,000… it has become the main means of intra-municipal transport.”
He added:
“We get a lot of complaints, and we decided as MUSEC to take the bull by the horns… to ensure that we safeguard the safety of our people.”
On foreign involvement, he stated:
“The majority of the riders… are from neighbouring African countries like Niger.”
He warned:
“If you come across 10 riders… eight to nine of them [are] foreigners… and apart from the fact that that is illegal… they don’t know our laws very well.”
On minors:
“Very often, you come across minors as young as 16 years… and we feel that it’s not right.”
He clarified the intention:
“It is not more or less a persecution… It is an attempt to inject sanity.”
The National Union of Tricycle Operators Ghana welcomed the move, calling it long overdue.
Commentary | Boakye Stephen
This decision reflects a difficult balance between economic livelihood and lawful order.
However, enforcement must be done carefully, not to ignite xenophobia, but to uphold legal structure and public safety.
A system without regulation becomes chaos. But regulation without fairness becomes oppression.
