In the wake of revelations that the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is in the process of divesting its shares in some hotel assets to a company owned by a sitting minister, some other revelations have come up relative to one of the properties in question.
A 2022 letter to SNNIT copied to the Chief of Staff relative to the sale of the Golden Beach Resort has been shared on social media by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the MP who first reported about the SSNIT divestiture plans.
The letter written on the letterhead of the Edina Traditional Council raised issues with the move to sell the facility stating that the concern was triggered: “…when Honourable Bryan Acheampong, Member of Parliament for Abetifi Constituency visited the site with investors.
“Our main concern is that the land on which the Resort is situated is the property of the Edina Traditional Council,” the letter signed by Nana Kodwo Condua VI, the Omanhene of the area read in part.
Ablakwa has petitioned CHRAJ over the matter and insisted that a conflict of interest situation might have played out in the transaction.
He captioned his post as follows:
“Even as SSNIT fails to respond to the constitutional and fundamental issues raised in my CHRAJ petition on the sale of Ghana’s hotels to Bryan Acheampong, more documents are emerging about the repugnant levels of arm-twisting and utter disregard for due process.
“SSNIT and the Presidency contemptuously ignored this 2022 protest from the venerable Omanhen of the Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Condua VI, and continued with the sleazy and unconscionable deal to sell Ghana’s treasured hotels to the Minister of Agric.
“No matter what it takes, we shall make sure these 6 hotels remain the valuable properties of all Ghanaians and not one NPP politician,” Ablakwa added.
Background:
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has alleged that six hotels belonging to SSNIT are being sold to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.
In a post shared on social media on Friday, 17 May 2024, the MP claimed that documents he has intercepted showed that negotiations to sell 60% of the shares of the six SSNIT hotels to the minister’s Rock City Hotel Limited are far advanced.
The North Tongu legislator stressed that the sale of state properties to government officials constitutes an abuse of power and should not be permitted.
He added, “The six SSNIT hotels being sold are: Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Elmina Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and Trust Lodge Hotel.”
Ablakwa further disclosed that he had petitioned the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate and prevent the minister from acquiring the hotels.
He argued that the minister’s actions not only constitute an abuse of power but also suggest a lack of due process, procurement breaches, cronyism, graft, and a violation of the Constitution of Ghana.
SSNIT has stated it is selling 60% of the shares of the six hotels to Bryan Acheampong’s company because they presented the best offer.
It also clarified that shares of four, not six, of its hotels are being sold to Rock City, adding that the shares of the hotels were advertised for all interested parties to bid.
Bryan Acheampong has maintained that “there is no breach” as asserted by Ablakwa because, although he owns Rock City, he is not involved in its management.
ghanaweb.com
