The Teshie Traditional Council (TTC) has directed that ongoing works on its Okpoigonno land be halted immediately.

 It further advised the developers to seek approval before continuing with their projects on the about 99 acres of land which is within the LEKMA Hospital and Manet Junction enclave.

Addressing the press at Teshie on Friday, the Secretary to the Teshie Council of Elders, Paul Akporh Sowah, said when the council visited the land on February 15, this year, it observed the construction of a shopping mall without the knowledge of the traditional leaders.

According to the council, the said land was handed over to Osamanpa Estate Developers in 1998 to hold in trust for the entire people of Teshie.

Describing it as worrying, Mr Sowah said “it is because of this we have called the press and called on the persons involved in the construction to come before the traditional council or the elders for proper negotiation or for the necessary agreement to be done.

“We want development for the land and people of Teshie but whatever is being done at that place should go through the proper channel before it is executed,” he added.

Mr Sowah also mentioned that far behind the shopping mall, other private structures had sprung up, stating that the area was not meant for such development, explaining that it was earmarked for a community to be known as the ‘Teshie City’.

“We want the people using the land for construction to know that the entire Teshie township are not aware of the developments made. We don’t want distractions in the town due to the developments on unauthorised locations,” he said.

 He called on the government to assist the traditional council to have its lands back, adding that it was surprised to have learnt that the said land, which had been registered and received a land title certificate, had to be given to another entity with a different land title.

“We are pleading with the government to come in so that whatever we have to develop on that land would be beneficial to everyone and our children, including our generations yet unborn,” he said.

The Secretary to the Council of Elders also called on the owner of the shopping mall to meet the council for proper negotiation.