The Concerned Citizens of Tema have backed down on their decision to sue city authorities over an alleged attempt to sell the Tema Children’s Park, which houses the community’s only operational library.
The citizens initially threatened to sue authorities over the alleged sale, which would have seen the park developed into a casino.
However, they have since backed down on their decision after receiving an assurance from the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) to stop construction work by a Chinese developer on the 6.2-acre land and to ensure that the facility continues to be used for its existing purpose.
Derek Laryea, a leading member of the group, emphasized the importance of protecting the facility to meet the educational and social needs of residents in an interview with Citi News in Accra on Wednesday.
“Once there is a commitment from the agencies or the authorities to say, look, let’s work together, you can see the stop signs,” he said. “The children’s park is for recreational purposes, as it was intended many years ago. That is why our interest is not necessarily to go to court, but to be able to get the authorities to sit up and get the right things done that make us happy.”