A group calling itself Concern Citizens of Tema in the Greater Accra Region are set to hit the streets of Tema with #SaveTemachildren’sparkDemo to express their strong opposition to the sale of the Tema Children’s Park to a Chinese company on 25 October, 2023.
Speaking to the leader of the group Gideon Tetteh on Plan B FM’s late afternoon show EBAANOSEN hosted by Ohene Kinnah, Mr. Tetteh said, “Many consultations have been made, the police have assured us maximum protection on that day, we will all converge at “CHEMU” park at community 7 and march through to the streets to TDC to present our petition, then to TMA to also do same and a few of us will go to TMA to present the petition to them too, he added.
He said the park which is the only one in the area, has reportedly been sold to a Chinese company for use 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.
According to sources, the park had been handed over to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly by the Tema Development Company Limited upon request in 2013, and the Assembly later sub-leased it to W.B. Impex Limited, a private company.
The Assembly has claimed that the land was sold to a Chinese company for 55 years for the development of a recreational facility that would be used by residents and tourists.
However, residents have challenged this explanation and remain skeptical of the Assembly’s decision. They argue that the lack of transparency around the lease and sale of the land suggests that government officials are not acting in the best interests of the community.
Some residents have also expressed concerns about the impact of the casino on the local area, and are worried that it will attract seedy elements and contribute to an increase in crime.
The issue has become a source of tension between the government and residents, with many people calling for a thorough investigation into the sale of the park. Despite the promises of the Assembly that the land will revert to them after the 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.
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