Private citizen Samson Asaki Awingobit has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama over the Sentuo Airport Garden City Project, asking the government to conduct a comprehensive national-security review of the development before construction advances further.
The US$1.3 billion project, being developed by Sentuo Group at 10 Giffard Road in Accra’s Airport Residential Area, was officially launched with a sod-cutting ceremony performed by President Mahama on September 15, 2026.
According to plans announced for the project, the development will include 582 premium apartments, a 600-room hotel, a 2,500-capacity conference facility, healthcare facilities, a shopping mall, landscaped gardens, parking facilities and other commercial and leisure amenities.
In his petition, Awingobit said his concerns were not directed at foreign investment or the involvement of Sentuo Group but centred on the strategic location, scale and proposed configuration of the development.
He argued that the proximity of the project to military, defence and aviation installations warranted a detailed assessment by Ghana’s security and defence institutions before the development reaches a stage where significant changes could become difficult or costly.
Awingobit is particularly seeking clarity on whether the Ghana Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence, National Security, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant institutions have assessed the potential security implications of the project.
He wants the assessment to consider issues including the height and orientation of the proposed structures, surveillance systems, telecommunications infrastructure, access arrangements, cybersecurity and the project’s proximity to strategic national installations.
The petitioner has also raised questions about the security arrangements that would be in place once the complex becomes operational.
Among the issues he wants examined are who would control the development’s CCTV and surveillance systems, who would have access to security-control rooms, how surveillance information would be stored and protected, and what procedures would be used to vet security personnel, residents, tenants and other occupants.
He has further called for an assessment of whether the completed structures could create visual or technological access to nearby sensitive installations.
Awingobit also wants the government to conduct enhanced due diligence on the ownership structure and source of funds associated with the development, as well as review the proposed tenancy arrangements.
In making his case, he referred to reported cases in other countries where commercial and residential properties were allegedly used in connection with cybercrime and other criminal activities.
He stressed, however, that such cases should not be used to characterise Chinese investment or Chinese nationals generally as security threats.
Rather, he said they highlight the need for strong due diligence and security oversight when large-scale private developments are located close to strategic national assets.
The petitioner has also drawn attention to the project’s proximity to Kotoka International Airport, arguing that the location adds another dimension that should be considered as part of any comprehensive security assessment.
Among his key demands is a temporary suspension of further construction until the relevant state institutions complete a multi-agency review.
He is also calling for a strategic land-use assessment to determine whether the project’s proposed height, density, orientation and location are compatible with the security requirements of neighbouring defence, government and aviation facilities.
Other requests include a counter-surveillance assessment, enhanced beneficial-ownership checks, source-of-funds verification, occupant screening and appropriate security oversight of the development after completion.
Awingobit is also asking that the findings of any security review be made available to relevant Parliamentary oversight bodies, subject to restrictions relating to classified national-security information.
The petition comes as the government continues to promote the Airport enclave as an important location for major private-sector investment.
At the sod-cutting ceremony, President Mahama welcomed the Sentuo investment and called for meaningful participation by Ghanaian professionals, contractors, artisans, suppliers and businesses in the project.
Awingobit said his petition should therefore not be viewed as an attempt to discourage investment.
He maintained that Ghana needs foreign and domestic investment to create employment and support economic growth, but argued that major developments located close to strategic state facilities should also undergo appropriate security scrutiny.
The petition has now placed the security implications of the project before the Presidency and relevant state institutions for consideration.
