Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Kofi Addah, has praised the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for being the first assembly in the country to introduce the branding of tricycles, known as ‘Aboboyaa.’

He stated emphatically that the KMA, led by Osei Assibey Antwi (the chief executive), has chalked a huge success in the sanitation fight by introducing the branding of tricycles for waste collection and disposal in the Kumasi metropolis.

Mr. Kofi Addah has directed other assemblies in the country to emulate KMA’s example to beautify the country and also keep communicable diseases away.

“I would like to urge all the other assemblies to emulate the outstanding initiative and shining example of the KMA. Please, use the KMA as a model and consult them if you have any challenges in addressing this issue. This is a feather in the cap of the KMA,” the minister stated to a rapturous applause during the launching of the Branding of Tricycles for Solid Waste Collection and Disposal in Kumasi.

The KMA has branded the ‘Aboboyaa’ in orange colour to differentiate it from other tricycles in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital.

The KMA, aside the orange colour, has also registered all the tricycles for the collection of solid waste in its (KMA’s) system and also given them identification numbers and tags for security and other reasons.

The minister stated, “The KMA, being a step ahead, came up with this concept of branding tricycles within the metropolis with a uniform colour – which is orange. The KMA indeed deserves to be praised.”

He charged the media and the residents of Kumasi to fully back the assembly’s initiative.

Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, in a remark, lamented how haphazard operation of tricycles created inconveniences in the city in the past, noting that the new concept of branding the vehicles was to ensure discipline in how such vehicles are handled.

He said the new policy would prevent the situation whereby tricycles, which were used to carry solid waste, were also used to carry foodstuffs and other items, which had the potential of causing disease the outbreak of epidemic among the people.