President John Dramani Mahama has summoned Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) Ebi Bright and TDC Ghana Limited Managing Director, Courage Makafui Nunekpeku, to a meeting aimed at resolving the escalating dispute between the two institutions.
The meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 17, 2026, and will also bring together the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and the Minister for Sanitation, Works and Housing. The Presidency has directed all parties involved to attend.
The intervention follows a disagreement over a TDC development project at Community 1, Site 3, which has resulted in a public confrontation between TDC and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA).
The dispute intensified on Wednesday, August 12, when the Assembly, led by the Tema Mayor, moved to stop construction works at the site. TDC is developing shops and office spaces there on behalf of the government.
TMA maintains that the project was being undertaken without the required planning and development permits. The Assembly has also raised concerns over complaints from residents, including the alleged removal of about 50 trees, demolition of existing structures, encroachment on playgrounds and green areas, and the blocking of access routes.
Following these concerns, the Assembly took enforcement action at the site, demolishing parts of the development and removing some of the contractor’s hoardings.
TDC Managing Director Courage Nunekpeku, however, has disputed the Assembly’s position. He described the demolition as unfortunate and argued that TDC has historically operated under an arrangement with metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies that permitted it to undertake developments within its operational areas without obtaining building permits from the assemblies.
According to Mr Nunekpeku, the current project had also passed through the relevant government procurement and approval procedures, including processes involving the Ministry of Finance, the Public Procurement Authority and the Ministry of Works and Housing.
He explained that TDC received a letter from the TMA on August 7 directing the company to suspend the project or respond to concerns raised by the Assembly. TDC replied on August 10, outlining what it described as the longstanding relationship between the two institutions.
Despite the response, the Assembly proceeded to the project site on August 12 and demolished sections of the contractor’s work.
The Tema Mayor insists that the Assembly has a statutory responsibility to regulate physical development within the metropolis. She argues that although TDC is a state-owned development company, it does not have planning or regulatory powers and must secure the necessary approvals from the Assembly before undertaking physical development.
She has cited the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), and the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), to support the Assembly’s position.
According to the Mayor, the disagreement raises a broader question about TDC’s mandate and whether longstanding institutional arrangements can take precedence over existing planning laws. She maintains that state ownership does not place TDC above the country’s laws and regulations.
With the matter now before the Presidency, Monday’s meeting is expected to provide a platform for both institutions to present their positions and work towards a resolution.
The meeting could also address wider questions surrounding the implementation of government-backed development projects in Tema and the relationship between TDC and the Assembly in matters of planning and physical development.
The Tema Traditional Council has already called on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve the matter through dialogue and within the framework of the law.
The outcome of the presidential meeting could determine whether construction resumes at the disputed Community 1 site and potentially establish clearer guidelines on the respective roles of TDC and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly in future developments within the metropolis.
Source: 3news
