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Members of Parliament (MPs) from Kumasi have come under a common umbrella, dubbed the Kumasi Bloc, to champion the city’s development agenda beyond partisan lines.
At the maiden Kumasi Dialogue of the group, the Chairman of the bloc and MP for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, emphasised the need for urgent and strategic action to address Kumasi’s longstanding challenges.
The event, held in Kumasi, brought together key stakeholders, including traditional leaders, religious figures, members of the business and diplomatic community, development partners and civil society organisations.
Discussions focused on the impact of the 2025 National Budget on Kumasi’s development priorities.
Mr Asenso-Boakye underscored the importance of the Kumasi Bloc, stating that for the first time, MPs from Kumasi have set aside political affiliations to work together for the city’s progress.
“We are not bound by party colours but by a shared conviction that Kumasi deserves better. Its transformation requires deliberate, strategic and urgent action,” he declared.
Acknowledging the contributions of past MPs, the Bantama MP emphasised that today’s leaders must build on the foundation of the past to drive the city forward.
Mr Asenso-Boakye outlined critical issues confronting Kumasi, namely poor land use planning, rising crime and unemployment, inefficient waste management and frequent market fires, among others.
Just last Friday, a fire at the Kumasi Central Market at Adum devastated properties and livelihoods.
Mr Asenso-Boakye lamented how inadequate planning and weak enforcement continued to hinder emergency response efforts, causing preventable losses in property.
“These tragedies are deeply regrettable and avoidable. We must rethink how our urban spaces are managed, enforce land use regulations and invest in resilient infrastructure,” he urged.
A major highlight of his address was the urgent need for the completion of the Accra-Kumasi Highway.
The former Majority Leader and NPP MP for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu, who also spoke at the event welcome the decision to set up the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD) to regulate the small-scale mining sector, led by Sammy Gyamfi, CEO of the Precious Minerals and Marketing Company, but questioned the competence of those leading it.
“It is a good intent but you need to populate it with people who have competences in commodity trading,” he said.
The former MP also questioned the legality of the allowances to be paid to assembly members, saying the emoluments of a presiding member of a district assembly and other members of the assembly shall be determined by the district assembly and paid out of the assembly's own resources.
“Is this allowance promised by the NDC government going to come out of public funds, especially the consolidated fund,” he asked.
On gender perspective, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu raised concerns over the practicality of the proposed GH¢51 million allocation for the establishment of the Women’s Bank, questioning its effectiveness in addressing the financial needs of 17 million Ghanaian women.
“With the capital requirement for the establishment of banks set at GH¢400 million, which was equivalent to $100 million at the time, what can GH¢51 million, now equivalent to only $3.2 million, do for 17 million women in Ghana?” he questioned.
