Benjamin Pinewood
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has explained its decision to seek the removal of structures and unauthorised occupants from the beachfront adjoining the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.
The clarification follows a demolition exercise on Friday, October 2, which affected several structures and businesses in the La Beach area, including La Pleasure Beach and Polo Beach Club.
In a statement issued on Friday, SSNIT said it had requested urgent intervention from the National Security Council Secretariat to address what it described as the persistent unlawful occupation, encroachment and unauthorised activities along the beachfront.
The Trust said the two hotels form part of its investment portfolio and are significant assets in Ghana’s hospitality and tourism industry.
It added that it had a responsibility to protect the investments, preserve their value and ensure they continued to generate sustainable returns for contributors and pensioners under the Basic National Social Security Scheme.
“These assets belong to the workers and pensioners of Ghana,” SSNIT stated.
According to the Trust, the continued occupation of the beachfront posed safety and security risks to hotel guests, employees, service providers and visitors.
It also cited concerns about fire outbreaks, poor sanitation, environmental degradation and public health risks associated with the activities along the beach.
SSNIT further said the situation affected the privacy of the hotels, their service standards and the experience of guests, with possible consequences for patronage, revenue and overall financial performance.
The Trust also raised concerns about damage to the coastal ecosystem resulting from construction activities on the beachfront and beach sand.
It warned that allowing the encroachment to continue could make it more difficult and costly to recover the affected areas in the future.
“In view of the foregoing, SSNIT requested support from National Security to protect the assets belonging to Ghanaian workers,” the statement said.
The demolition was supervised by personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, with support from the Ghana Police Service. Security personnel directed traders, workers and operators to leave the area as several structures were demolished or partially pulled down.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Dogbe, has clarified that the exercise was not part of the government’s ongoing flood mitigation programme in Accra.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Mr Dogbe said the operation was carried out under National Security’s supervision at the request of the Labadi Beach Hotel.
He explained that the demolition was separate from flood mitigation works at the Kpeshie Lagoon, East Legon Boundary Road, Oyarifa and behind Mayfair Estates.
Mr Dogbe also cited sanitation and security concerns associated with unauthorised and unregulated commercial activities along the beachfront.
SSNIT, however, said the exercise was not intended to prevent the public from accessing the beach.
“The beaches will be cleaned and restored to a safe and desirable state and will remain open to the public,” the Trust stated.
The demolition has affected several businesses and workers operating in the area. The Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, was also seen questioning military personnel at La Pleasure Beach over the exercise.
She said she had engaged the authorities before the demolition and had been assured that structures around the Labadi Beach Hotel would not be affected.
Some operators have also expressed concerns about the destruction of their businesses and property, while affected workers were seen salvaging belongings from demolished structures.
SSNIT’s statement, issued by its Board of Trustees on October 2, reaffirmed the Trust’s position that the intervention was necessary to protect its investments and address the concerns identified along the beachfront.
Source: Omanghana.com
