The Tema TDC Development Company Limited (TDC) has denied any involvement in the sale of the Tema Children’s Park to a foreign company to build casino.
According to TDC, the children park is a facility owned and managed by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA).
This comes after some residents of Tema have expressed their strong opposition to the sale of the Children’s Park to a foreign company for commercial activities including the building of a casino.
The said foreign company is believed to be a Chinese concern.
The park, which is the only one in the surrounding area, has reportedly been sold to a Chinese company in building a casino.
The residents are calling for an investigation into the sale, and are accusing the government of prioritizing the interests of foreign investors over the well-being of the local community.
Speaking to DGN Online on the matter, Ian Okwei, the Protocol Officer of TDC stated that
somewhere in 2013, his outfit handed over the land to TMA upon request.
According to him, the Assembly later sub-leased the recreational facility to W.B. Impex Limited, a private company for unknown purpose.
He pointed out that TDC have no hand in the sale of the land since the land does not belong to the company.
However, residents have challenged this explanation and remain skeptical of the Assembly’s decision. They argue that the lack of transparency around the sub-lease and sale of land suggests that government officials are not acting in the best interests of the community.
Some residents have also expressed concern about the impact of the casino on the local area, and are worried that it will attract dubious elements and contribute to an increase in crime.
The issue has become a source of tension between the government and local residents, with many people calling for a thorough investigation into the sale of the park. Despite the promises of the TMA that the land will revert back to them after the sub-lease period, residents say they will continue to fight to ensure that the park remains a place of leisure and recreation for children, rather than a site for gambling and entertainment for adults.
This was confirmed by the legal officer of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Emmanuel Avenorgbo who told a media outlet that the assembly had only sub-leased the park to a Chinese company for development into a recreational facility to serve residents and tourists to Tema.
That decision, he said, was taken by the assembly and not an individual, saying that the recreational facility would revert back to the assembly after the expiration of the lease period.
Mr Avenorgbo explained that the decision was taken on the floor of the assembly.
According to him, the lack of funds to develop it and provide adequate facilities for the park made the assembly take the decision to lease it.
He said documentation and details of the lease had all been prepared in the name of the assembly .
He noted that organisations, including VALCO and Zonta, had made similar approaches in the past to redevelop the park but failed to do so.
Mr Avenorgbo was of the view that once it was lying fallow, it would be appropriate to lease it after which the assembly would take over.
By Vincent Kubi