The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has launched a crackdown on unauthorised structures in the city, citing safety, accessibility, and public interest concerns.
The Assembly, led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Ebi Bright, has also declared certain public spaces as security zones, where temporary structures will not be allowed.
These areas include schools, health facilities, security facilities and utility services corridors.
Ms Bright said this on Saturday, October 4, 2025, when she led management and staff of the TMA in a clean-up exercise as part of the National Sanitation Day initiative.
She explained that the directive was in line with the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), and TMA Bye-Laws on Unauthorised Development.
The clean-up exercise, which was held in the various electoral areas in the Tema Metropolis with the Assembly Members leading the charge, supported by security personnel, saw the demolition of illegal structures.
Shops and commercial transport operators were also prohibited from operating from morning till 12 noon.
Ownership
Ms Bright encouraged residents to take ownership of their environment and maintain cleanliness to create a healthier and more sustainable environment in Tema.
The MCE assured existing traders that a fair and transparent regularisation programme was being developed to protect livelihoods while restoring order in the physical space.
She said Assembly Members would engage with their communities to explain the measures and guide traders through the process.
The MCE emphasised that the initiative was not about punishment, but about fairness, proper urban planning, and restoring Tema’s dignity as a modern industrial hub.
”Tema must grow in an organised and orderly way,” she stated, adding that “We value the right to trade and work, but we cannot allow lawlessness to destroy our city.”
She called on the public to support the initiative by refraining from putting up new unauthorised structures, emphasising that “by removing unauthorized structures and enforcing regulations, the Assembly aims to create a more orderly and modern city.”
Apathy
The TMA Metropolitan Coordinating Director, John Nana Owu, acknowledged the apathy displayed by some residents and attributed it to inadequate stakeholder involvement and communication.
To address this, he said the Assembly plans to intensify stakeholder engagement with assembly members and other stakeholders to raise awareness and encourage participation in future exercises.
He emphasised that cleanliness was a personal responsibility and appealed to residents to take ownership of their environment.
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