Tema-Ghana, Jan. 06, GNA – The Tema Traditional Council has expressed concern about some of the operations of TDC Development Company Limited’s intrusion into lands reserved for traditional occupations such as fishing, farming, and expansion of the settlement of the indigenes.
“Stay away from our lands reserved for traditional occupations,” Nii Amarh Sompunu II, Tema Shipi and Stool Secretary of the Traditional Council stated at a press conference in Tema to draw the attention to some activities of TDC, which had the tendency to disrupt the peace within the jurisdiction.
He recounted in 1952 the government of the day acquired 63 square miles of land for the people of Tema, Nungua, and Kpone for the purpose of creating Tema Harbour, New Tema Township, Industries, and resettling the Tema people.
Nii Sompunu II added that the then government reserved a portion of the land for them to continue their traditional occupation expansion and settlement.
He mentioned that a buffer was created between the industrial area and the portion reserved for the traditional authorities was to serve as a boundary between their lands and lands under the administration of TDC.
The Stool Secretary explained that TDC had crossed that boundary and sold some lands to some companies without any consultation with the traditional council.
“The government of the day acquire the lands up to the Gawu Lagoon and decided that; I am resettling the people of Tema in-between the Chemu and Gawu Lagoon, I think in so doing, they considered the fact that when we were at old town, we lived between the Chemu and Sakumono Lagoon,” he stated.
He alleged that some of the companies who through the TDC have intruded into the indigenous reserved land, have demolished buildings of residents. This act Nii Sompunu described as totally unacceptable.
He said the Tema Traditional Council had written several letters to TDC, however, the Council was yet to hear from the management of the TDC.
Meanwhile, Mr Ian Okwei, TDC Protocol and Administrative Officer reacting to the allegation, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Tema that the land in question, which was 16 acres was given its right of entry in 2006 to a company.
He explained that the whole area as described by the Traditional Council was under the Tema acquisition area and was part of the heavy industrial area which had a boundary with the Tema Traditional Council.
Mr Okwei mentioned that technically, the place was for industrial purposes per the land layout which could not be used for habitation, however, there had been some development of the traditional council, which was getting closer to the buffer.
He said TDC would engage the traditional council and iron things out because of the new development.
