Justice Emile Short, a senior golfer speaking to the media at the Celebrity Golf Club
The Celebrity Golf Club (CGC) in Sakumono, one of Ghana’s few remaining 18-hole golf courses, is under threat due to ongoing encroachment, despite a court injunction prohibiting any development on the land.
The golf course, spanning 98 acres, has seen 18 acres encroached upon, with construction activities advancing rapidly.
At a press conference, Alex Oppong-Baffoe, Captain of the Celebrity Golf Club, described the situation as dire, raising alarm over the actions of developers who have begun clearing trees, erecting walls, and blocking access to the dam that supplies critical water to the course.
“Our workers have been physically threatened when they tried to intervene,” he lamented. Oppong-Baffoe further expressed frustration with the inaction of the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) and the police, adding that these activities were being carried out in blatant violation of a court injunction.
“This golf course is more than land; it is a community, a history, and a future. We are appealing to the Regional Security Council, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to act swiftly to protect this golf course—a national asset—and enforce the court order,” he stated.
The Celebrity Golf Course also serves a critical national purpose, doubling as a disaster management and evacuation center. The Ghana Airforce utilizes the course for training exercises involving disaster evacuation management.
Emile Short, former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and an avid golfer, described the encroachment as a serious criminal violation. He warned that the involvement of armed landguards posed a grave threat to public safety.
“This Golf Club has been in existence for decades. Suddenly, we have this encroachment with rapid construction aimed at destroying the course. It’s a serious matter that the authorities must address. The use of armed land guards is a criminal act, and we cannot allow this to escalate into violence,” Mr. Short asserted.
He urged the club to pursue both legal and political interventions to ensure the situation is resolved.
“In addition to legal steps, political authorities must act decisively to stop this encroachment. The police and the military should also step in to prevent further violations of the law,” he added.
President of the Ghana Golf Association, Leonard Kwaku Okyere, Lady Captain of the Celebrity Golf Club, Cathy Fabbi, and senior golfer Joe Ohemeng, who were present at the press conference, expressed their frustration at the activities of the encroachers, stating that the situation might distract the development of the club and also affect the socio-economic development of the Sakumono community. They therefore called on the security agencies in the country to intervene.
The Celebrity Golf Club, established in 1987 as part of a leased project by TDC, has since been a recreational haven and an employer for the local community. However, the ongoing encroachment threatens its legacy and future.
Club officials have hinted at plans to bolster private security measures while awaiting enforcement action from authorities. They continue to call on the public and relevant stakeholders to join their fight to protect this national treasure from destruction.
