Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has led hundreds of protestors to present their petition to the Presidency.
This was after the “Hands Off Our Hotels” protestors were blocked by police from reaching the Jubilee House.
The demonstrators marched from the Labadi Beach Hotel to express their disgust and 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.
This Rock City Hotel is owned by Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.
Prior to the acceptance of the petition, there was some confrontation between the agitated protestors and the police as they insisted on proceeding to the Jubilee House.
Currently, about 4 demonstrators are said to be receiving first aid from the ambulance service after police used pepper spray on them.
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 hotels in question include the Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Busua Beach Resort.
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.
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.
Source: myjoyonline.com
