His Excellency, The Tema metropolis is one of the most planned cities in Ghana; designed, planned and developed by the award-winning urban planner and Ghana’s first architect, Theodore S. Clerk.
To maintain the orderly development of Tema, two key institutions were responsible for its control and development, that is, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and Tema Development Corporation. Tema is the only city or District to have two planning institutions responsible for its orderly development.
The powers of the TDC are not also not autonomous. The responsibility of TMA as stated in the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act 925 (2016) Section 12 (4),is to execute approved development plans.
A key feature in the planning of Tema are green belts or Reserved lands which laid between every two communities. Examples are the Community nine Reserved lands which lies between Community nine and the Light Industrial area. The community eight Reserved land lies between Community eight and nine. Every community in Tema has its Reserved lands.
Unfortunately, all these greenbelts are being wiped out like wild fire, replaced by concrete jungles without any attention to green belt Policy and to its negative effects on residents.
The TDC and TMA are making Tema very unsafe for both current and unborn generations.
His Excellency, Greenbelts are protected from development by policies or legislation. It is seen as an open green space for recreation, parks etc.
Green belt lands are imperative to preserving local biodiversity and natural resources by offering space in the event of flooding or natural disasters and capturing excess carbon dioxide with their large amount of trees or forests.
Tema has the biggest sea port in Ghana and a Heavy Industrial Area producing aluminium, steel, refined petroleum, textiles chemicals, food products etc. These greenbelts are crucial to the survival of Tema against natural disasters, floods and also air pollution from these heavy industries.
Processes like reforestation and your Green Ghana project would not be as necessary if the Green Belt Policy continues to protect green belt lands from deforestation or urbanization. Green Ghana will only continue to be as useful as a bucket without a bottom if greenbelts continue to be destroyed.
According to the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act 2016, Act 925, section 93, even if these Reserved lands are to be Rezoned, they must be finally done through Parliament. It will be interesting to find out if it was Parliament which approved the rezoning of these greenbelts to drinking lounges, fuel stations, private residences, cold stores etc.
The TDC and TMA are engaging in an activity that is extremely harmful and dangerous to livelihoods of the people of Tema. Building on designated greenbelts depletes other future resources that can aid in the fight against Climate Change.
Mr. President it will interest you to know how individuals in high public offices affiliated to some private buisness men are cashing out through these ‘greenbelt cash cow’. They are milking it to the point of death.
Mr. President, It has become critical that you call TMA and TDC to order since their actions are not only illegal but dangerous.
Thank you.
