By Sebastian R. Freiku
Stray cattle have added to the increasing spate of vehicular and human traffic in Kumasi of late.
These animals cross the roads unannounced, and without any prior warnings, causing accidents and obstructing the movement of vehicles. They race, gallop and trek along the roads, creating panic among women and children.
Besides the threat to human activities and lives, these cattle often take over the major streets making vehicular movement difficult.
Places like the Manhyia roundabout, Airport roundabout, Kaase industrial area, Ahinsan and New Zongo areas, and Ahodwo in Kumasi are hard hit by stray cattle with no herdsmen to direct their movements.
Though records of domestic accidents caused as a result of stray cattle or animals abound in Kumasi, the city authorities appear to have developed cold feet towards tackling the issue or menace.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is against the rearing of cattle on a free range basis in the metropolis.
“The rearing and/or the keeping of cattle in any premises or in any public part of the city, other than for immediate slaughter, or in such public places as the KMA may provide for that purpose, is forbidden, and any cattle found in contravention of these bye-laws may be seized by any person authorised by the assembly and placed in a pond” according to Article 2 of the KMA bye-laws.
Article 5 of KMA bye-laws also states that “any cattle placed in a pond may be detained there until the owner pays to the assembly, a fee covering the impounding and the maintenance of the cattle, as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the KMA,” while Article 6 further stipulates that “any cattle remaining in the pond for more than seven days, for which no fee has been paid by the owner, shall be sold by public auction, and the proceeds paid to the KMA.”
But, in spite of these provisions, the KMA has relaxed sanctions and even disregarded complaints and concerns by residents over the years.