By Aaron Hammond 
Friction between major state institutions can quickly turn into a massive public headache. President John Dramani Mahama has officially stepped into the growing battle between local authorities and housing developers. He has urgently summoned the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive Ebi Bright. The Managing Director of TDC Ghana Limited Courage Makafui Nunekpeku is also required at the meeting.
This high level presidential intervention comes after a bitter dispute exploded at Tema Community One Site Three. The local assembly taskforce recently moved in and demolished portions of an ongoing TDC project. That bold action triggered heavy reactions across the metropolis and caught national attention. Both state entities clearly hold very different views regarding who holds the ultimate planning power.
The Tema Metropolitan Assembly insists that every single project must strictly follow local building laws. Mayor Ebi Bright explained that the assembly acted on a petition from angry residents. Locals complained about the felling of trees and the destruction of spaces meant for community playgrounds. On the other hand, TDC argues that its operations rely on a longstanding historical framework.
Managing Director Courage Makafui Nunekpeku described the assembly action as extremely unfortunate and counterproductive. He maintained that TDC projects traditionally bypassed standard local assembly permits due to historical arrangements. However, the local government maintains that land ownership does not automatically override modern urban planning rules. Public institutions fighting publicly certainly does not look good for administrative harmony.
The summoned leaders will finally face the presidency Mahama on Monday August 17 to thrash out their differences. President Mahama expects both heads to find a lasting solution and protect public infrastructure interests. State agencies must always cooperate smoothly rather than washing their dirty linen in public spaces. Ghanaians are watching closely to see how this high stakes institutional drama gets resolved.
Also Read:IGP Rewards Brave Cops in Upper West Robbery Burst