The notice was issued under Section 106 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936). It requires affected developers to submit a written response to the Metropolitan Chief Executive on or before 2 February 2026.

Dated 19 January 2026, the notice describes the structures as unauthorised and says they were constructed in contravention of Section 106(1) of Act 936.

Developers are therefore required to show cause why enforcement action should not be taken against them.

According to the AMA, the response must be submitted in writing by the developers or an authorised representative as part of the statutory enforcement process.

The Assembly warned that failure to comply with the notice could result in developers being held responsible for the cost of any alteration or demolition works carried out.

The move forms part of the AMA’s broader efforts to enforce development control regulations in the capital, as authorities intensify action against unauthorised structures and activities that breach city planning rules.

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‎The Assembly, led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Ebi Bright, has also declared certain public spaces as security zones, where temporary structures will not be allowed.
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‎These areas include schools, health facilities, security facilities and utility services corridors. 

Ms Bright said this on Saturday, October 4, 2025, when she led management and staff of the TMA in a clean-up exercise as part of the National Sanitation Day initiative.

She explained that the directive was in line with the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925), and TMA Bye-Laws on Unauthorised Development.

‎The clean-up exercise, which was held in the various electoral areas in the Tema Metropolis with the Assembly Members leading the charge, supported by security personnel, saw the demolition of illegal structures.
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‎Shops and commercial transport operators were also prohibited from operating from morning till 12 noon.
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Ownership

Ms Bright encouraged residents to take ownership of their environment and maintain cleanliness to create a healthier and more sustainable environment in Tema.

‎The MCE assured existing traders that a fair and transparent regularisation programme was being developed to protect livelihoods while restoring order in the physical space.
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‎She said Assembly Members would engage with their communities to explain the measures and guide traders through the process.
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‎The MCE emphasised that the initiative was not about punishment, but about fairness, proper urban planning, and restoring Tema’s dignity as a modern industrial hub.
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‎”Tema must grow in an organised and orderly way,” she stated, adding that “We value the right to trade and work, but we cannot allow lawlessness to destroy our city.”
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‎She called on the public to support the initiative by refraining from putting up new unauthorised structures, emphasising that “by removing unauthorized structures and enforcing regulations, the Assembly aims to create a more orderly and modern city.”

‎Apathy 

‎The TMA Metropolitan Coordinating Director, John Nana Owu, acknowledged the apathy displayed by some residents and attributed it to inadequate stakeholder involvement and communication.
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‎To address this, he said the Assembly plans to intensify stakeholder engagement with assembly members and other stakeholders to raise awareness and encourage participation in future exercises.
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‎He emphasised that cleanliness was a personal responsibility and appealed to residents to take ownership of their environment.

Source: Graphic online

Over the past four years, the Kwabre East Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region has demolished at least 20 structures built illegally on waterways.

These buildings were not only unauthorized but also blocked the natural flow of water, increasing the risk of flooding during heavy rains.

The demolitions form part of efforts to prevent future disasters and promote safer, more resilient communities.

According to engineers and physical planning officials, some residents begin construction without considering the dangers of building in high-risk areas or seeking professional advice. This lack of planning has exposed several communities to flooding, erosion, and other environmental hazards.

Despite the well-known risks floods pose to lives and property, some developers in the municipality continue to build on waterways, further worsening an already hazardous situation.

Municipal Development Control Engineer, Abubakar Alhassan, said the consequences of such developments can no longer be ignored. He noted that the Assembly has intensified efforts to address the issue by targeting structures built on waterways.

“For the past four years, we’ve demolished not less than 20 buildings constructed on waterways,” he said.

He mentioned Bosore, Turba, Asenua, and Medoma as some of the communities where demolitions have taken place, serving as a warning to others against building in such locations.

Engr. Alhassan further stressed that action is taken immediately once a structure is identified on a waterway.

“The moment we see somebody developing on a waterway, we demolish it instantly. We enforce the demolition on both waterways and roads to ensure people don’t build on such sites,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Director of Physical Planning, Jonas Kwame Bonah, explained that although the Assembly has a solid development plan in place, enforcement continues to face major setbacks—especially interference from political figures and some traditional leaders, which hampers the work of planning officers and engineers.

“By the time you realize, the chiefs are there selling those portions to developers to build. We try our best to ensure that such developments are halted,” he said.

Engr. Alhassan echoed the same concern, adding, “The challenges we are currently facing are the interference of politicians and chiefs. When you stop someone from developing, the person will stop for the day, but before you know it, the structure is back up.”

Both officials say they remain committed to ensuring that flood-prone areas are protected and that illegal structures are swiftly dealt with to save lives and reduce disaster risks.

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The call comes at the back of an order from President Akufo-Addo to the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to remove structures obstructing the free flow of water immediately.

The directive was after parts of Accra were submerged for the second time within a week, after heavy rains on Saturday and midnight on Tuesday.

Responding to the President’s directive, the President of IET-GH, Henry Kwadwo Boateng said the flooding situation in the country particularly Accra is multifaceted, adding managers of MMDAs must allow the technical people to do their work to help to curb the perennial flooding.

He urged the President to walk the talk to ensure his directive is carried out by the relevant agencies.

Ing Boateng who is a former employee in one of the assemblies blamed the Chief Executives for interfering in the work of engineers whose responsibility is to ensure no building is on waterways.

He, therefore, appealed to the Chief Executives to support and encourage engineers to push through with their legal mandates.

Again, President of IET-GH blamed what it calls ‘big man and influential people’ who buy wetlands for the floods.

He advised that, the Land Use and Spatial Planning Department at the various assemblies to stop remarking lands not meant for residential areas.

Ing Boateng added that, the Hydrological Department under the Ministry of Works and Housing must be given the necessary support to carry out its mandate to address the perennial floods.

The six who are mainly artisans were apprehended by personnel from the Weija-Gbawe District Police Command on Wednesday, 18th May 2022.

This was during an unannounced working visit by a Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker.

The six, all men with ages ranging from 25 to 30 years, were arrested for the construction of illegal structures.

The arrest is one of many decisive steps being taken by the Ministry to tackle the issues of encroachment, illegal structure development and sand winning in the earthquake-prone area.

At a media briefing after the tour, Mr Duker stated that the suspects would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for investigation and possible prosecution.

He instructed the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly to work closely with the police to arrest the owners of the various illegal projects in the enclave.

He warned that, the Ministry will clamp down on all illegal activities at the site including sand-winning and the development of unauthorised structures.

The Deputy Minister further issued a directive for the Assembly to as a matter of urgency demolish all illegal structures in the Ga South Municipality which have been established as earthquake-prone areas.

He wondered why people will choose to erect structures and conduct activities at the place despite several warnings by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and its allied agencies.

He said the Ministry will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that lives and properties are protected.

It will be recalled that NADMO in 2017 described parts of the place as ‘imminent risks’ and therefore called for the demolition of illegal structures at the Weija Hills and indicated that the move will help avoid future mudslides as happened in Sierra Leone in which least 499 people were killed.