Stray animals: A major concern for Kumasi residents and road users

The movement of stray animals on major streets in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, the once Garden City of West Africa, which also serves as the seat of the occupant of the Golden Stool, without any restraint, is becoming a nuisance and a greater source of concern for residents and other road users.

According to OTECNEWS’ Candy Asare, these animals cross the roads without any prior warnings, causing accidents and obstructing the movement of vehicles. They race, gallop and trek along the roads, creating panic among the populace especially women and children.

She said these stray animals mostly cattle wander about freely on the streets. Often, they are without any herdsman accompanying them. Besides the threat to human activities and lives, these stray animals often take over the major streets making vehicular movement difficult.

Places like the Manhyia roundabout,  Aboabo, Adukrom, Sewaaba, Buokrom, Sepe-Timpom Airport roundabout, Kaase industrial area, Ahinsan and New Zongo areas, and Ahodwo are hard hit by stray cattle with no herdsmen to direct their movements.

In an interview with the Public Relation Officer (PRO) Godwin Okuma Nyame for Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA),  said the rearing and/or the keeping of cattle or animal 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 or animal 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.

He warned that the department will enforce the laws to prosecute owners of these stray animals.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Candy Asare