‘Hands Off Our Hotels’ – Adomonline.com

Put pressure on government to listen to SSNIT hotels sale petition – Nii Lante Vanderpuye to Ga leaders

Abigail Bonney — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 23:40:45 +0000

Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, Nii Lante Vanderpuye has implored Ga leaders in government to pressure the government to halt the proposed sale of a 60 percent stake in four prominent hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, June 18, he charged the Ga Dangme leaders to make their voices count in the matter.

“The Deputy Chief of Staff is a Ga, the Interior Minister and the Regional Minister are Ga’s. I’ll be expecting them if they owe any responsibility to the Ga Adangbe people, I’d be expecting them to put pressure on the government to listen to the petition as a matter of urgency,” he said.

According to him, they should ensure that the petition is not treated like the anti-LGBT bill.

His comments come after the North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa led hundreds of protesters to present a petition to the Presidency.

The “Hands Off Our Hotels” protesters marched from the Labadi Beach Hotel to oppose the sale of a 60 percent stake in four SSNIT-owned hotels to Rock City Hotel, owned by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

Mr. Lante Vanderpuye also urged Ga Dangme youth to protect Ga lands for future generations, condemning the extensive looting of Ga Dangme land.

He warned that any further attempts by the government to take Ga land would lead to serious consequences.

“From today, we want to serve a warning to any government, especially Nana Addo and Bawumia that any attempt to further touch any Ga land will lead to consequences they would regret,” he warned.

He stated that if the SSNIT hotel transaction is not stopped, “we will go on the streets, we shall take over the hotels ourselves.”

Hands off our Hotels demo: Ablakwa officially presents petition to govt

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:28:31 +0000

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has formally petitioned the government to immediately stop the sale of four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel, which is owned by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong.

In his petition, Ablakwa outlined several demands, urging President Akufo-Addo to halt the sale process immediately.

The North Tongu MP emphasized that the sale of state properties has historically not been in Ghana’s best interests and insisted 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.

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Hundreds gather at Labadi Beach for ‘Hands Off Our Hotels’ protest [Video]

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:48:43 +0000

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Labadi Beach Hotel for the “Hands Off Our Hotels” demonstration.

The main objective of the protest is to exert pressure on the government to immediately halt the proposed sale of a 60 percent stake in four prominent hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel.

This company is reportedly owned by Bryan Acheampong, Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture.

The hotels in question include the Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Busua Beach Resort.

North Tongu MP and the organiser of the protest, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa argues that the sale of state-owned properties to government officials constitutes a clear abuse of power that should not be tolerated.

The demonstration, which commenced at the Labadi Beach Hotel, will proceed to the Christ the King School, situated a short distance from the Jubilee House, the official residence of Ghana’s president.

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 organizations, concerned citizens, and opposition political groups, all united in their stance against what they perceive as an unethical and potentially damaging transaction.

Organisers have urged all Ghanaian citizens to participate actively in the demonstration, emphasizing the importance of collective action in safeguarding national assets and holding government accountable for its decisions.