TDC defends statutory mandate over Tema development

Edith Atiaka Eshun of TDC Ghana Limited asserts that the company's mandate to plan, lay out, and develop the Tema area predates the establishment of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA). TDC was established in 1952 by an Act of Parliament with the responsibility to manage the Tema Acquisition Area, a 63 square mile land area originally acquired through compulsory acquisition from the traditional authorities of Tema, Nungua, and Kpone.

The company has been granted a 125-year lease to manage this land, which coincides with its current lease term nearing its halfway point.

Despite legislative changes that have transferred some municipal responsibilities to the TMA, TDC maintains that its core mandate to plan, layout, and develop the Tema area remains intact. The company acknowledges the Assembly's authority over physical planning, development control, and municipal administration, but insists that these responsibilities must coexist with its own statutory and proprietary interests.

TDC has called for dialogue and inter-agency collaboration to resolve the ongoing dispute over the proposed housing project at Site Three in Community One, emphasizing that confrontation between the two state institutions will not benefit Tema's development.

The company stresses the importance of working together to promote the redevelopment of Tema into a modern and sustainable city, rather than allowing a confrontation between the two state institutions to impede progress.