Residents of Kaiser Flats in Tema Community 4 have expressed outrage over what they describe as an unlawful and forceful eviction allegedly carried out by officials associated with the Tema Development Company (TDC). The incident has been strongly condemned by the community, with residents insisting the exercise was unacceptable. According to some occupants, staff of TDC Ghana Ltd marked buildings and issued a seven-day ultimatum for families to vacate their homes. The action, they said, has triggered fear and confusion among households that have lived in the area for decades.
The multi-storey residential block at Kaiser Flats in Tema Community 4 shows clear signs of deterioration, with cracked balconies, exposed electrical wiring, worn railings, and patched doors—issues that have heightened anxiety amid the reported eviction threat. Responding to the matter, the Assemblyman for the Horticulture Electoral Area, Baba Tunde Lasisi, said he was caught off guard when residents informed him of the development. He explained that, as an Assembly Member, he promptly sought clarification from the Tema Development Company (TDC) to confirm the legitimacy of the exercise.
“I personally visited TDC to ask whether their Estates or Legal Department was aware of the situation, and I was categorically told they had no knowledge of any eviction,” he noted, adding, “I also reached out to the Mayor, who confirmed that no such directive had been approved.”
The Assembly Member questioned the rationale behind the alleged evictions, especially considering that some of the buildings in question were demolished in 2018 without any redevelopment taking place since then. “Not even a common stone has been laid on those lands. You cannot suddenly come back and tell people to move just so certain individuals can have their way,” he said
“Governance must be about fairness, not using power to intimidate ordinary people,” he added, while questioning whether the central government supported the alleged eviction exercise, noting that the timing could not be worse for residents already grappling with economic hardship.
“People have just gone through the festive season and are now struggling to pay school fees and meet basic needs. You cannot add another burden by forcing them out of their homes. “It does not speak well of us as a country,” he said.
Relocation
The Assembly Member dismissed suggestions that residents could be relocated to housing estates outside Tema, calling such proposals both impractical and insensitive. He stressed that Kaiser Flats is strategically positioned near Tema’s industrial hub and harbour, making it an ideal residence for workers.
“Asking people to move to areas like Community 26, where traffic delays can stretch to two hours, is simply unfair. Families currently living in three-bedroom homes in Tema are being told to settle for smaller two-bedroom units under poorer conditions,” he argued. Mr. Lasisi reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding the interests of his constituents, vowing not to endorse any measure that compromises their welfare.
“The interest of the people must always supersede individual or private interests.
I will not support any eviction that is not lawful, humane and transparent,” he stated.
Meanwhile, checks at TDC Ghana Ltd indicate that the Managing Director of the company has requested a meeting with the affected residents to deliberate on the matter.
Background
The Kaiser Flats were built in the 1960s to temporarily accommodate expatriates and workers who were building the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO). Over the period, some of the structures have deteriorated. In 2013, TDC Ghana Ltd planned to demolish the flats, but the exercise was aborted owing to some litigation.
The occupants sought a court injunction to restrain the TDC from ejecting them. However, a High Court in Tema ruled in favour of TDC in July 2017 after years of litigation. Later, some occupants went to court to plead for some time to vacate the flats.
The court gave the occupants up to the end of January 2018 to completely vacate the flats. The TDC subsequently obtained a writ of possession to remove the occupants to pave the way for the redevelopment scheme for the entire Tema, especially the Kaiser Flats area.
In 2018, the TDC engaged the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to demolish four blocks within the Kaiser Flats enclave in Tema, which were declared unfit for human habitation by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
The occupants of the four blocks, namely 407, 408, 410 and 415, were all evacuated and some allocated accommodations at Community 26, while others were compensated.
Writer’s email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh
