A trader in Kasoa has allegedly bitten a member of the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly taskforce during a decongestion exercise, prompting the Assembly to take the matter to court.
The incident occurred during an operation to remove traders and unauthorised structures from pavements in the Kasoa Central Business District.
A video shared by News Center on TikTok shows a confrontation between the trader and taskforce officials after she was asked to leave the pavement.
The situation reportedly became physical, with the trader allegedly biting one of the officials during the confrontation.
The officer sustained injuries, although details about the extent of the injuries and whether he received medical treatment have not been disclosed.
Municipal Chief Executive Officer Seth Banini criticised the trader’s actions during the confrontation.
“The taskforce was here and you bite him for doing his work. What kind of behaviour is this?” he said.
The trader is expected to appear before the court, although the Assembly has not yet disclosed the specific charges or confirmed the date of her appearance.
The latest incident comes amid ongoing tensions between traders and the municipal task force over the Assembly’s decongestion exercises.
In May, four people, including three taskforce members, were injured after traders reportedly threw stones at officials during a similar exercise at the Kasoa-Bawjiase junction. The confrontation also disrupted traffic in the area.
The Assembly has defended the exercises as necessary measures to clear pedestrian walkways, ease congestion and improve movement within the municipality.
Some traders, however, have raised concerns about the effect of the operations on their livelihoods and have called for designated spaces where they can continue their businesses.
The Assembly has previously indicated that it intends to identify permanent trading locations for people affected by the decongestion exercises.
