Okudzeto Ablakwa to lead a protest agains SSNIT hotels sale

North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced that he is organizing a street protest against the planned sale of four SSNIT hotels to Rock City Hotels Limited. He said the decision to organize and lead the demonstration is to put pressure on authorities especially, president Akufo-Addo to act to stop the ongoing sales processes.

Okudzeto Ablakwa after leaking information about the ongoing transaction went ahead to petition the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, CHRAJ to investigate the matter. However, he said CHRAJ does not have the power to put the ongoing processes on hold. Due to the long time it takes for the Commission to complete its work, a decision might have arrived too late to stop the transaction.

Okudzeto Ablakwa took to social media to announce the intended demonstration scheduled to come off in mid-June.

“As I indicated on Joy FM this morning, I have formally notified the Ghana Police Service, pursuant to the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491) of our intention to demonstrate on June 18, 2024 against the unconscionable sale of SSNIT’s hotels to Hon. Bryan Acheampong, Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture.

“This demonstration becomes absolutely crucial because of latest intercepted documents which reveal that SSNIT is proceeding with the transaction despite my CHRAJ complaint, and despite the palpable public outrage,” Okudzeto Ablakwa said on X.

“The mobilization against this terribly bad deal which cannot be in the national interest begins immediately. We shall protect our hotels for all Ghanaian workers,” he noted, adding, “For God and Country”.

NOTICE OF DEMONSTRATION

Pursuant to the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491), this serves as formal notice to your outfit that a considerable number of Ghanaians from all walks of life intend to demonstrate against the unconscionable sale of SSNIT’s 60% stake in its hotels to Rock City owned by current Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Bryan Acheampong.

The date for this consequential demonstration is Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 9am.

The demonstration will commence in front of the Labadi Beach Hotel, proceed through La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, and is expected to end at the Jubilee House where we shall present a petition to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

As you are aware, it has been a week since I drew the nation’s attention to scandalous and unpatriotic efforts to sell SSNIT’s hotels to Rock City. I promptly filed a complaint at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Regrettably, despite the national outrage, unambiguous demands from Organized Labour and Civil Society Organizations that the sale be stopped, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has refused to listen to the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians who have loudly condemned this sale.

Considering that the deal is about to be finalized, and noting that the Agric Minister has been offering strange public justifications for his conduct, which reveal that government intends to continue with this putrefying arrangement albeit with impunity; in these circumstances, as citizens, we are compelled to enter the next phase of our national resistance.

This June 18 public manifestation is one of numerous patriotic steps we shall be embarking upon to save Ghana’s strategic assets.

We hope we can count on the Ghana Police Service to cooperate in this defining matter of enormous public interest, and as expected of your institution under Act 491.

For God and Country.