Anti-Corruption Crusader Questions Sunyani Municipal Assembly’s Competences

Prominent anti-corruption advocate, Mr. Raphael Ahenu Jnr, has raised serious concerns about the Sunyani Municipal Assembly’s (SMA) approval and supervision of what he describes as substandard and outdated construction projects in Sunyani.

Mr. Ahenu, who is also the Founder and CEO of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), expressed his frustration over the Assembly’s failure to ensure modern and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure in the municipality. He was particularly critical of the recently designed Sunyani-Techiman highway, which, despite being a major road network, lacks pedestrian walkways—posing a safety risk to road users, especially from Sunyani Teaching Hospital through New-Dormaa to Yawhima. Instead, the edges of the road are lined with large, open drainage systems, leaving little space for pedestrians.

Speaking at the Intermediary City Ecosystem Platform (ICEP) Meeting in Sunyani under the Resilient Healthy City for Adolescents Project, Mr. Ahenu further questioned the World Bank-funded Secondary City Project, under which several roads in Sunyani have been constructed. He found it baffling that none of the roads under the project were asphalted, but rather left in gravel form.

“Is this really a World Bank-sponsored project?” he asked, emphasizing that the World Bank is known for funding high-quality, sustainable infrastructure and would not approve such unattractive and poorly executed road projects.

The ICEP meeting, organized under the auspices of GLOMEF, brought together city-level authorities, agencies, and individuals to discuss critical policy and urban development challenges, particularly those affecting adolescents. The event also marked the official launch of an Adolescent Clinic, aimed at strengthening healthcare and support systems for young people in urban areas.

Mr. Ahenu’s remarks immediately sparked a fresh debate at the meeting, on accountability in local governance and the urgent need for quality urban infrastructure in Sunyani.

The call for transparency and improved oversight by the SMA, however, put pressure on authorities to address the concerns of residents and stakeholders.