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By: Samuel Asamoah
President John Dramani Mahama has intervened in the escalating standoff between the Tema Development Company Limited (TDC) and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) over development planning authority in Tema.
The President has summoned the Managing Director of TDC, Courage Nunekpeku, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Ebi Bright, and the Ministers responsible for Local Government and Works, Housing and Water Resources to a meeting at the Presidency on Monday, August 17, 2026.
The meeting, scheduled for 11:00 a.m., is expected to provide a platform for the two institutions to present their respective positions and seek a resolution to the impasse surrounding a development project at Community One, Site Three.
The presidential intervention comes after tensions escalated between the TDC and TMA following the Assembly’s attempt to halt ongoing works at the site.
The TMA has directed TDC to stop the project, arguing that the development was being undertaken without the requisite planning and development permit.
The Assembly has also cited concerns raised by residents, including the alleged felling of about 50 trees, demolition of existing structures, encroachment on playgrounds and green belts, as well as obstruction of access routes.
TDC, however, has challenged the Assembly’s position, maintaining that the project had gone through government procurement and approval processes.
The corporation has also pointed to longstanding institutional arrangements governing development within its operational area, setting the stage for a broader debate over the respective mandates of TDC and the metropolitan assembly.
The disagreement escalated on Wednesday, August 12, when the TMA moved to the project site and took enforcement action, including the demolition of portions of the development and hoardings.
The incident subsequently triggered public exchanges between the two institutions, raising concerns about the potential impact of the dispute on development and peace in the Tema metropolis.
President Mahama’s decision to summon the key actors is therefore being seen as an attempt to bring the institutional confrontation under control and secure a common position on the way forward.
The meeting will also involve the Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, signalling the government’s intention to address both the local government and physical development dimensions of the dispute.
The presidential intervention follows a separate call for calm by the Tema East Member of Parliament and TDC Board Chairman, Isaac Ashai Odamtten, who urged the two institutions to return to the negotiating table and resolve their differences within the framework of the law.
The Tema Traditional Council has similarly appealed for restraint, warning that the escalating disagreement should not disturb the peace of the traditional area, particularly as Tema begins its annual Homowo celebrations.
The Monday meeting is expected to determine whether the two institutions can reach a common understanding on the disputed project and, more broadly, clarify their respective roles in development planning and permitting within Tema.
For residents, the immediate concern remains the fate of the Community One Site Three project and the protection of public spaces, while the wider issue of overlapping institutional responsibilities could have implications for future development projects across the Tema metropolis.
