Forgotten Voices: Tema’s Dark Past Unearthed as Thousands Were Displaced in Controversial 1960s City Construction

By Sandra TETTEH

In the construction of Tema city in the 1960s, the indigenous population, estimated in the thousands, found itself caught in the crossfire of a controversial and forceful movement to neighboring Manhean and Ashaiman. This mass displacement, driven by a complex web of economic, political, and social factors, has left families torn apart and communities shattered. This revelation was made last Wednesday November 8 by anthropologist Prof. Brenda Chalfin when she made a presentation at BookTalk on the theme ‘History and Politics of Human Waste in Urban Ghana’ at the Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing at African University College of Communications, AUCC, Accra.

She said the genesis of the upheaval lies in the rapid urbanization and industrialization of Tema, once a serene settlement nestled on the coast. After independence, the Nkrumah government needed infrastructure such as ports and harbors and residences for its industries and workers.

As the city expanded, so did the demand for land, pushing authorities to reconsider the spatial organization of the region. In a bid to accommodate growing industries and infrastructure, the decision was made to relocate the original settlers to Manhean and Ashaiman. However, this move was met with vehement opposition from the affected communities. The chiefs were in bed with government, so they were all forced out.

The exact number of displaced individuals may not be readily available, and the specific details could vary depending on different sources. However, it is well-documented that the development of Tema involved the resettlement of local communities to make way for the construction of the industrial and port city.

Large-scale infrastructure projects like Tema often result in the displacement of communities, and the impact on the affected populations can be substantial. Displacement can lead to various social, economic, and cultural challenges for the affected communities, and it has been a topic of concern in the context of development projects worldwide.

In Tema’s case, community leaders and activists rallied to highlight the plight of the displaced settlers, calling for a reconsideration of the relocation strategy, and demanding a more inclusive approach that takes into account the concerns of the affected population.  As the situation unfolded, it becomes imperative for authorities to address the grievances of the displaced, and that is how they were forcibly moved to Manhean and Asaiman.

This was supposed to be a sustainable solution that balances the developmental needs of the city with the rights and livelihoods of its residents.

Local authorities cite the need for infrastructural development and city expansion as the rationale behind this drastic measure. However, concerns linger about the disregard for the well-being and rights of those who were moved, with inadequate provisions for housing, employment, and essential services in the new locations.

Residents still argue that they have deep-rooted ties to Tema, with generations having called it home. The abrupt displacement disrupts not only their livelihoods but also severs the cultural and historical bonds they share with the land.

In 2010, about 200 fishermen and fishmongers resisted attempts to clear an area being cleared for the construction of a palm oil processing firm to be owned by Wilmor Edible Oil Refinery-Project (WEORP) a Singaporean firm. The 64 hectare land was leased to the company by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

The demonstrators wearing red arm bands and headgears singing traditional songs with the refrain “wo kpene ni ashishi wo,” to wit, “we will not allow them to cheat us,” stopped the bulldozer from preparing the ground and sealed holes dug up to erect pillars for the fencewall. They said that the project, if allowed, would throw them out of business and displace them as was done in 1959.

The real settlers have faced numerous challenges in adapting to their new surroundings. Manhean and Ashaiman, though neighboring areas, present distinct environments and economic landscapes. Many find themselves grappling with unemployment, insufficient amenities, and a lack of the close-knit community they once enjoyed in Tema.

According to an angry settler quoted in Prof. Brenda Chalfin’s new book ‘Waste Works; Vital Politics in Urban Ghana’ which was launched in Accra last Friday, “you can see the manhole increasing. The water level comes up from the sewage in the shower area. It comes up because the sewer is chocked . The water comes up in the bathroom, and this happened in these four neighboring houses. There was one day it came from the street, my whole yard was flooded with sewer with the poops in it. It was like that for four days. It affected the whole street; it was very annoying.”

Human rights organizations and activists have raised their voices against what they perceive as a violation of the settlers’ rights. The forced movement sparked debates on the ethics of urban development and the responsibility of authorities to safeguard the well-being of their citizens.

“Protests and legal battles ensued, with the displaced settlers seeking justice and the right to return to their ancestral homes, but the government was too powerful for them. And their chiefs sold them out,” explained Nii Shippi Armah of the Tema Traditional Council in 2010 when fishermen went on demonstration.

According to Prof. Chalfin, in the midst of the displacement turmoil, stories of individual hardship and resilience emerged. Families torn apart by the move struggled to rebuild their lives, children faced challenges adapting to new environments, and elderly members found themselves displaced from familiar surroundings.

“The emotional toll would have been immeasurable, as the real settlers grappled with the trauma of being uprooted from a place that was not just a location but an integral part of their identity.”

This revelation and more are included in Prof. Brenda Chalfin’s ‘Waste Works; Vital Politics in Urban Ghana’.

The Tema displacement issue raises broader questions about the balance between urban development and the protection of human rights. The plight of Tema’s real settlers serves as a stark reminder that progress should not come at the expense of the well-being and dignity of the very people it aims to benefit.

Reports suggest that the forced relocation was part of a broader urban development plan, raising questions about the methods employed and the impact on the affected populace. Knowledge of the lack of adequate consultation and transparent communication has fueled discontent among students who attended BookTalk, as it would have the displaced settlers.

“People may have been suffering there, but they were trying to figure out with their suffering. And they should not have been made to leave Tema like that,” suggests L300 journalism student, Celestine Chebah.

“The displacement of the real settlers of Tema just to build a city for the workers seems unfair to me. They deserved better than being forcefully moved to a different location even when they weren’t prepared, and being abandoned,” said Zaahida Abdul, a journalism student after the presentation.