Residents of Tema Community 7 angry over land encroachment
There has been encroachment on a two-acre land in the Tema Metropolis earmarked as a greenbelt zone. The land is situated in Tema Community Seven.
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A greenbelt zone is a belt of parks or rural land surrounding a town or city for the preservation of a natural or semi-natural environment. The purpose is to improve on air quality within urban areas.
A greenbelt also ensures that urban dwellers get the feel of a countryside having educational and recreational ingredients. It protects the unique character of rural communities that may otherwise be absorbed by expanding suburbs.
However, during a field visit to Tema last Wednesday, residents who were visibly not happy with ongoing development rushed to the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Akwasi Opong-Fosu, to express their dismay over encroachment on the land in question.
The agitated residents threatened to strip themselves naked if current development on the land was not discontinued.
It’s illegal
According to the Deputy Executive Director, Field Operations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mr John A. Pwamang, it received a petition from the residents about one Mr Anang Tetteh, who is said to be the original owner of the land and who is said to have given it out to a developer.
He said from the records at the Accra East Regional Office of the EPA, a proposed project issued with an environmental permit number TMCT00136 on March 31,2011 expired on March 30,2013.
Mr Pwamang, therefore described as illegal encroachment on the land by the current developer, who the residents identified to be Papaye restaurant.
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“When you are given permit to develop the greenbelt, you are supposed to preserve the area by building recreational centres and other light edifices. Meanwhile, permit for construction on the site is not transferable,” he said.
A resident, Mr Benjamin Nortey, said apart from the land being a greenbelt zone, there were underground water pipes, major sewer lines and other installations which “when built on would be difficult to access should a problem occur”.
He said putting permanent structures on the land would also deny future generations the opportunity to engage in recreational activities as it was becoming insecure to allow children to play far away from home.
Mr Opong-Fosu consequently directed workers on the land to stop all activities until discussions over the issuance of permit was resolved.