‘Pragya’ riders block major Kejetia road over KMA directive

Tricycle operators on Wednesday, August 2, blocked the major road leading to Kejetia in the Ashanti Region.

The operators blocked the road in protest of a restriction placed on their movement by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

KMA began the implementation of a ban on the movement of tricycles, popularly known as Pragya, in the Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

According to KMA, this is to address the city’s traffic congestion problem.

But the riders who are aggrieved by the directive have opposed it from the onset.

Their actions on Tuesday caused major gridlock around Kejetia and destructed economic activities in the city.

Speaking to the media, the secretary of the riders association, Ayamdago Amadi Dauda, said the assembly’s reasons for the ban are not convincing.

“When you look at the demarcation, they are now clearly sacking us from the Central Business District to the highways for the cars to kill us more.

“Are they looking for the betterment of Pragya drivers, or what? Because this decision will further expose us to more risk than their decision to minimise congestion,” he said.

He, therefore, demanded that the KMA reconsider the ban and further engage them on the best way to solve the traffic congestion.

This comes after about 10 of them were arrested on Tuesday, August 1, after they clashed with KMA city guards over the same issue.

The clash ensued after the guards attempted to enforce the ban.

Meanwhile, police officers have been able to restore calm.