Some residents within the Ashaiman Municipality have kicked against development by a private individual on a portion of land that is being used as a football field in the area.

This was cited in a JoyNews report, posted on their official Twitter account and sighted by GhanaWeb.

According to the report, the piece of land referred to as Kokonte Park is located in the Middle East of Ashaiman and it is used for all social activities.

Having building materials on the land overnight raises eyebrows among the residents who fear they could lose the land to the private developer.

The report mentioned one Ian Mortey, as the opinion leader of the Residents Association, who stated they will do everything to resist any attempt to take over the park.

“This park has been used for over 40 years by the community for funerals, vaccination, and disaster points until about two weeks ago. There is this young man called Nana who has come and encroached on the park and told us that it belongs to him. We suspect that what he is doing, he is fronting in for somebody. And he has the backing of the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), the municipal Assembly (AshMA), and other political elements at the very top of government. We will resist any attempt to take over every park that serves the whole community,” the report quoted him saying.

The man is accused of taking over the piece of land being used as the football park, Nana Ohene Gyan, is reported to have said that the said land rather shares boundaries a portion of land that belongs to him which he acquired legitimately from the TDC.

“ I am not taking a community park. It is the park of the community that shares boundaries with me and that was allocated to me. They are throwing dust into the eyes of the public that I am taking a public park. It is land that has its genuine documents and acquired from TDC’s legitimate process.”

Also, a representative from the TDC who is reported to be the Protocol Officer of the corporation, Ian Ocquay, supported the claims of Nana Ohene Gyan, indicating it is only a portion of the entire space that is designated for the park.

“The land in question as you can see is not part of the football park. It is a request that came from the Tema Traditional Council to the Director of Estate of TDC that as all those allocations are being done, two plots were to be allocated to Kwabla Sebuabe. So, all documents covering that particular allocation or request were done. Per eyesight, you will think that the stretch is a community park but the park has its dimensions.

However, one Azorgi Ananga who in the report is the Assemblyman of the Nii Tetteh Amoe East Electoral Area and the Presiding member of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, called in the Tema Development Corporation to relocate the private developer.

“I think that TDC should relocate whoever they have given this place to and allow us to have our park. When it is 6th March, this is where the boys do rehearsals, funerals, and outdooring. Even when there is an earthquake, where will we go?” he asked.

The Municipal Chief Executive for the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, Albert Boakye Okyere said his outfit will dig further into how the land was acquired by the private developer.

“The collaboration should be there. The Assembly will have to sit with TDC to find out from them how it happened because so far as I am concerned, we also have a site plan that also covers the whole area and then if they mention the traditional council, we will bring them also so they come and answer to us,” the report added.

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