Some protesters at the ‘Hands Off Our Hotels’ demonstration yesterday, suffered various degrees of injury when they clashed with the police.
Four of them, reportedly received first aid treatment from the ambulance service after police used pepper spray on them.
This incident occurred when demonstrators insisted on going beyond the agreed finishing point at Christ the King Church, close to the Jubilee House.
According to reports, when the police forcibly prevented the crowd from advancing, some of the protesters threw sachet water at them.
In the heat of the moment, some officers deployed pepper spray, leading to injuries among several individuals.
Tear gas, was also employed at one point to disperse the growing crowd.
Former National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, criticised the police for their conduct.
“Why were the police throwing tear gas at this time? Why did they want to scatter a peaceful protest that had come to a climax as if they planned to do this,” he said.
He indicated that, “The IGP must wake up from his slumber,” adding that “that unprofessionalism by the Ghana Police must cease.”
The protesters converged at the Labadi Beach Hotel and were supposed to conclude at the Christ the King School, where leadership would go and submit a petition at the Jubilee House, but the police took a last-minute decision and barred the march close to the seat of government.
Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu and the convenor of the protest, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, told the media that a brief scuffle ensued that led to the police using water cannons and tear gas resulting in some of the protesters being rushed to the 37 Military Hospital for medical attention.
“Why fire tear gas, as we speak now, they have rushed some people to the hospital and they should pray that there are no causalities,” Ablakwa said.
The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Kwetey, also accused the government of looting state resources.
“Leadership is supposed to be working for the people, but what we have now is a leadership that is looking out for itself. History will have it that Ghanaians rose up against this corruption and insensitivity.”
Moments after that, some calm was restored as Mr Ablakwa, gave a copy of the petition to a representative from the Jubilee House, amidst heavy security.
The petition seeks to impress on government to halt the sale of some four hotels to Rock City Hotel, which is owned by Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, a cabinet minister in the Akufo-Addo government.
But they are claims that, it is not only Mr Acheampong, who is buying the hotels. There are reports that President Akufo-Addo’s family and of Freddie Blay family, are also interested in purchasing the hotels.
The hotels in question, include the Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Busua Beach Resort.
The North Tongu MP, who has led the narrative on the sale to Rock City Hotel, has insisted that the prospective buyer is performing well business-wise.
He insisted that the Rock City Hotel, owes taxes and SSNIT contributions of its workers and hence cannot be said to be better hotelier than Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Busua Beach Resort.
Ablakwa, argues that the sale of state-owned properties to government officials constitutes a clear abuse of power that should not be tolerated.
Ahead of the protest, the Ghana Police Service, had assured the public of its readiness to provide adequate security to ensure a peaceful and orderly demonstration.
The protest has garnered widespread support from various segments of society, including civil society organisations, concerned citizens, and opposition political groups, all united in their stance against what they perceive as an unethical and potentially damaging transaction.
Ablakwa, submitted a formal petition to the government, demanding an immediate halt to the sale of four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel.
The petition articulated a series of demands, calling upon President Akufo-Addo, to immediately halt the sale process.
The North Tongu lawmaker, noted that the sale of state properties has historically not served Ghana’s best interests and insists that such transactions, should not proceed without the collective consent of Ghanaians.
“…We hereby make the following demands: We call on President Akufo-Addo to immediately stop the sale of our SSNIT hotels. We take the view that state assets should not be sold, especially profitable ones.
Historically, since 1966, the sale of state assets has not been in the supreme interest of Ghana, and we, therefore, cannot continue on this destructive trajectory.
“In any case, the government should not sell state properties without the consent of all Ghanaians. It is wrong, immoral, and unethical for ministers and government officials to buy state assets. President Akufo-Addo must not preside over this detestable and dangerous practice.
“Particularly, when he assured this country that his appointees who want to make money through sch transactions should rather stay in the private sector,” he stated.
An official from the presidency received the petition on behalf of the government.
Meanwhile, the management of SSNIT, has since justified its decision to sell 60percent of its stake in six hotels to a private investor.
According to SSNIT, it intends to partner with a strategic investor to raise capital to invest in its hotels, and also assist in their management.
SSNIT’s response came after North Tongu MP, petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate and stop the sale of six hotels, including Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and the Trust Lodge Hotel to the Abetifi MP, Mr Acheampong.
Mr Ablakwa’s petition to CHRAJ, seeks an investigation into various allegations, including conflict of interest, abuse of power, lack of due process, procurement breaches, cronyism, and graft.
“In my petition, I am inviting CHRAJ to investigate grave matters bothering on conflict of interest, abuse of power, lack of due process, procurement breaches, cronyism, and graft.”
“I have also drawn attention to blatant violations of Article 78(3) and 98(2) of the 1992 Constitution as diligent checks from Parliament’s Committee on Office of Profit reveal that Hon. Bryan Acheampong has not applied and does not have the permission of the Speaker of Parliament to hold an office of profit,” he said.
In a statement issued on Sunday, May 19, 2024, the management of SSNIT, explained that the process for partnership started in 2018 and was in its final stages and therefore not yet concluded.
According to the management, since Ablakwa, has mentioned that the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has been petitioned to conduct a full-scale investigation into the sale of SSNIT hotels, it will not comment further, given the impending investigation by CHRAJ.
It said the management of SSNIT, will cooperate fully with CHRAJ throughout its investigation process.
SSNIT, however, clarified that the bid by Rock City Hotel owned by Minister for Agriculture Bryan Acheampong was successful for four of the hotels and not six as alleged by Ablakwa.
They are Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel and Elmina Beach Resort.
It added that Bids for Busua Beach Resort and the Trust Lodge, were considered to be unsuccessful so they are no longer part of the hotels covered in this process.
