TDC Ghana Ltd has defended its statutory mandate to plan, lay out and develop the Tema area, following a public disagreement with the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) concerning the Community One, Site Three infilling housing project.
In a press statement, TDC said the dispute should not create the impression that it was a private developer operating under the assembly.
The company said its mandate predated the local government structures from which TMA evolved.
TDC said the development of Tema began with the establishment of the Tema Development Corporation in 1952 under the Tema Development Corporation Ordinance, 1952.
The statement reiterated that under those arrangements, about 63 square miles of land, known as the Tema Acquisition Area, was compulsorily acquired by the Government from the traditional authorities of Tema, Nungua and Kpone and placed under TDC's development framework.
It said the corporation was charged with planning, laying out and developing the township of Tema, including its transformation into an industrial and residential city.
1989 Amendment
TDC clarified the effect of the Tema Development Corporation (Amendment) Instrument, 1989 (L.I. 1468).
The company said the amendment transferred municipal functions, including the maintenance of roads, public buildings, markets and sewerage systems, as well as the provision of public parks and gardens, to the Tema District Assembly.
However, TDC maintained that the amendment did not transfer its development mandate to the assembly.
It said its statutory responsibility to “plan, lay out, and develop the Tema Area” remained intact, together with powers relating to housing schemes and industrial and commercial sites.
TDC said the responsibilities of the two institutions may overlap but should be addressed through consultation and technical coordination.
It said following the 1989 amendment, the company said, TDC and the assembly established a Joint Technical Evaluation Committee to process development permit applications and manage institutional conflicts.
Land and development
TDC referred to a 1956 lease under which the Government granted it the majority of the Tema Acquisition Area for development and management.
The company said the lease was renewed for 125 years, effective January 1, 2024.
It acknowledged that TMA had responsibilities for physical planning, development control and municipal administration within its jurisdiction.
However, TDC argued that those responsibilities must be distinguished from its proprietary functions.
The company further said its conversion into a limited liability company in 2017 preserved the functions of the former Tema Development Corporation and expanded its powers to acquire land and undertake real estate development as well as plan and develop towns and cities.
Call for dialogue
TDC called for the disagreement over the Community One, Site Three project to be resolved through dialogue and established mechanisms.
The company said both institutions were entities created to serve the public interest, and that the redevelopment of Tema should not become a contest over institutional authority.
TDC said it remained committed to working with TMA to support housing delivery, urban renewal and infrastructure development in Tema, stressing that the goal should be a better city for residents and Ghana as a whole.
