Tema chiefs prevent youth from confronting Navy

The Tema Traditional Council (TCC) on Friday averted an imminent clash between the youth of Tema Manhean and the Eastern Naval Command.

The youth were said to be gathering on Friday morning to stop an ongoing excavation by the Navy on a parcel of land they lay claim to.

In September 2010, the two parties clashed when the Tema Manhean youth confronted the Navy over a parcel of land located behind the Naval Base, on which fish mongers dried their anchovies.

Two people lost their lives in that clash while several others sustained injuries.

The youth also vandalised properties of the TTC, accusing them of supporting the Navy.

Nii Amarh Somponu II, Tema Shippi, told the media that word reached the TTC at about 0800 hours that the youth were gearing up to clash with the Navy over the said land.

Nii Shippi said they quickly moved in, met the youth and stopped them from carrying out their intentions.

He said they assured the youth of trashing out the issue with the Ghana Naval Command.

He said when members of the Council visited the land, they saw an excavator digging a trench for fencing of the land.

The Council, he said, gave part of its 15-acre land located opposite the Naval Base at Tema Manhean to the Navy.

Nii Shippi explained that the land was originally earmarked for the expansion of the Tema Manhean Health Centre.

However, he said the Council allowed the Navy to put up its health post on part of the land in 2009 to augment the services of the health centre.

But the Navy took advantage of the cordial relationship between them and people and erected a recreational centre on the land which it now wanted to wall, he said.

"We will not sit down for them to twist our hand because they have guns and armoured cars," he stated.

Nii Shippi complained that after sacrificing their land for the construction of the Tema Port and the Tema Communities, the Navy also wanted to encroach on their new settlement.

"Is it a crime to sacrifice your land for your country?" He asked.

He alleged that some of their lands had been taken over by the Navy for the development of flats.

Nii Shippi said the issue was very worrying because some Navy personnel even seized the tools of workers found working on the lands of some individuals in the area.

When contacted, Lieutenant Maxwell Asola, Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Naval Command, told the Ghana News Agency that his outfit had not encroached on the lands of the Tema people.

Lt. Asola said the Command was within its demarcation and said the youth should rather consult Nii Adjei Kraku II, Tema Mantse for explanation.

He said information from his boss indicated that the Command met with the Tema Mantse, and the Metropolitan Chief Executive some years back to agree on the demarcation.

He, therefore, described the issue as a miscommunication on the part of the Council.