Tensions are high in Tema Community 1, Site 3, after a demolition exercise carried out by the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) left several shop owners and residents devastated. The operation, which took place on Monday 26th May 2025, saw the destruction of numerous shops located both in front of and within the residential flats.
According to affected residents, while a 21-day notice was served by the TDC prior to the demolition, many of them pleaded for an extension to enable them to pack out their belongings in a more orderly manner. Their requests, however, were not granted, leaving many to count their losses as bulldozers moved in.
One of the most affected groups were residents who had built small convenience shops within the flats. These shops, they explained, served the community by providing basic items without requiring residents—many of whom are elderly—to walk long distances to the main market.
“We are very disappointed in the current government and the new MD of TDC,” an emotional resident said. “This action has caused us great loss. Most of our properties have been destroyed and we have nowhere to go.”
Among the victims was Joyce, a resident who owned a salon within the flat. She told Plan B FM that her shop was first demolished when she operated within the flat. She relocated to the roadside in a bid to continue her business—but that too has now been reduced to rubble.
“I’ve lost so much,” she lamented.
Another affected individual, a male resident, revealed that aside from losing his shop, he suffered physical abuse during the exercise. “Some military men beat me up during the demolition,” he claimed. “This is not just injustice; it’s brutality. I’m taking this matter to court.”
While the TDC insists that the demolition is part of an ongoing effort to clear unauthorized structures, residents believe the exercise could have been handled with greater sensitivity and consideration.
The issue has sparked renewed conversations about urban planning, tenant rights, and the role of state agencies in addressing unauthorized developments without worsening the plight of ordinary Ghanaians.
By: Kadan Daniel/Planbfmonline.com
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