Owners of temporary structures to seek specification approval as KMA introduces strict rules

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) will require property owners and businesses to obtain approved designs for containers and other temporary structures in the city from January 2027. This new rule, announced by Mayor Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, aims to enhance the city's appearance, promote orderliness, and address unauthorized structures.

In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, the KMA’s Chief Executive explained that individuals seeking to erect temporary structures will no longer be allowed to use their own designs without first obtaining the required specifications from the KMA’s Spatial or Physical Planning Department. Boadi emphasized that anyone attempting to install a container or temporary structure without the necessary approval would face removal of the structure.

The standardized design policy is being piloted near the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, with plans to expand it to other areas of Kumasi as deemed necessary. The initiative follows a July 31 demolition exercise in the stadium enclave, where occupants of unauthorized structures were directed to vacate the area. Boadi highlighted that the policy would create uniformity among commercial structures and ensure development in Kumasi adheres to approved planning standards.

Additionally, the mayor announced plans to remove billboards along selected city stretches, including a one-kilometer-long section from the KMA offices to Vienna, which currently hosts approximately 36 billboards. The city administration intends to remove about 28 of these billboards, retaining only eight. Boadi encouraged businesses seeking to advertise in the city to consider digital billboards as an alternative, as the removal of excessive billboards aims to reduce visual clutter and improve the appearance of public spaces.