Tema: As part of measures to restore order in Tema, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) is implementing an eight-month comprehensive plan to reorganise temporal structures in the metropolis.
According to Ghana News Agency, the assembly is developing the Tema Facelift Campaign – Organised Spaces, Fair Opportunities. This is a comprehensive 8-month plan to reorganise temporary structures, such as kiosks and containers, within the metropolis. This initiative was outlined in an explanatory note on the enforcement of development control issued to assembly members from the office of Madam Ebi Bright, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE).
The assembly has designated public installations and areas, including schools, hospitals, and utility corridors, as security zones. Any existing temporary structures in these zones are deemed illegal and obstructive, and are therefore to be removed immediately without notice. The TMA bye-laws define a kiosk as any wooden structure, metal container, or a combination with block/concrete work. The policy is not an eviction of all temporary structures, but applies only to those in areas considered Security Zones and to temporary structures erected after the moratorium on permitting and erection of all temporary structures was imposed on 21 July 2025 by the Mayor.
According to the MCE, the objective is to promote urban order, fairness, and safety rather than punishment. Occupants of temporary structures outside of these restricted areas will be part of the ‘Tema Facelift’ regularisation programme the MCE is preparing. The assembly is committed to ensuring that Tema becomes a safe, organised, and forward-looking city while protecting the livelihoods of its residents.
The note urged assembly members to communicate the policy directly to their communities, emphasizing its intended purpose. It stressed that a consistent message is critical to ensuring public support and preventing misinformation, helping citizens understand that the move is about protecting lives, not taking livelihoods.