The Celebrity Golf Club at Sakumono, near Tema, is facing encroachment as developers clear portions of the land for construction.
Despite a court injunction prohibiting any development, per Clement Owusu-Darko, an official on the course, work is ongoing in parts of the golf course.
During a visit to the site with our cameras, JoySports encountered contractors actively working on the land, accompanied by land guards.
The coverage was done under police protection.
Members of the golf club have raised concerns and are calling on the Ministry of Interior, the Greater Accra Regional Security Council, and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to intervene.
“What is happening at the Celebrity Golf Course is very sad,” said Eric Duker, a retired member of the club.
“Landguards and other individuals are encroaching on the golf course itself. In golf, the course is essential; without it, there is no game. We play on the land we call the golf course, so when people take over parts of it, they are taking away our ability to enjoy the sport and exercise.”
Duker urged all Ghanaians to support efforts to protect the facility before the situation worsens.
Developers have begun clearing trees along the northern edge of the course, erecting walls, and blocking access to the dam that supplies water to the facility.
This area was designated for the development of a practice range, and the encroachment is also affecting the bunker at the end of Hole 1 and the entirety of Hole 2.
Former Ghana Ambassador to Japan, Dr. William Brandful—also a member of the Celebrity Golf Club—expressed concern over the situation.
“For us golfers, what we regret is coming to use the facility, enjoying it, and then encountering people along the course who claim the land belongs to them,” he said.
In 1987, the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) leased the land to Bill Tandor for the development of a golf course and holiday resort. The Celebrity Golf Club was eventually established, serving as both a recreational hub and a source of employment for the local community.
Additionally, the golf course plays a role in national disaster management, with the Ghana Air Force using it for landing and take-off training during evacuation exercises.
Club members and other stakeholders are calling for swift action to address the issue and protect the integrity of the facility.
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