Presidency Intervenes in Tema Feud: Orders TMA and TDC to End Turf War

By Emmanuel Nii Abordai Amoo

The Office of the President has stepped in to resolve a long-standing institutional conflict between the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and TDC Ghana Limited, issuing a clear directive on their respective mandates to establish a lasting framework for cooperation.

Presidency Reaffirms Municipal Authority

In a letter dated August 28, 2026, the Presidency affirmed that the local assembly serves as the highest political, administrative, and local planning authority within the Tema Metropolis. Under this directive, the assembly holds sole responsibility for regulating physical development, issuing building permits, mobilizing revenue, and overseeing municipal services. The executive branch explicitly categorized TDC Ghana Limited as a commercially oriented real estate developer rather than a municipal governing body.

Roots of the Community One Escalation

The high-level intervention follows a major enforcement action at Community One, Sites 3 and 8, where municipal task forces issued a stop-work order and demolished portions of an ongoing construction project. Local authority officials acted following complaints from residents regarding the felling of trees, the destruction of green belts, the appropriation of community playgrounds, and the obstruction of access routes to homes and businesses.

While municipal regulators insisted that construction had commenced without mandatory permits, TDC argued that its 1952 founding mandate and a 125-year lease over the 63-square-mile Tema Acquisition Area provided an independent statutory right to plan and develop the township. TDC Managing Director Courage Makafui Nunekpeku maintained that while the assembly manages general local administration, its enforcement actions cannot ignore TDC’s distinct statutory rights and landownership interests.

Directive for Unified Operations

To prevent further public confrontations, President John Dramani Mahama has directed both institutions to align their operations and establish a permanent framework for joint coordination. The ruling clarifies that while TDC retains its commercial development mandate, it must operate within the legal boundaries of local physical planning laws. The Presidency warned both management teams that further public clashes or any refusal to comply with the directive will attract severe institutional sanctions.