“MP Calls on Akufo-Addo to Stop SSNIT Hotel Sale”

The Member of Parliament for La Dade Kotopon, Rita Naa Odulaey Sowah, has called for an immediate cessation of the sale of hotels belonging to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). According to her, the move to sell the hotels is bad and should not be carried out. She made this statement on the New Day show on TV3 on Wednesday, June 26.

Her call comes after she joined the ‘Hands off our hotels’ demonstration last week, which was organized by her colleague lawmaker for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. Ablakwa has been a vocal critic of the move to sell the hotels to Agric Minister Bryan Acheampong, who has denied allegations that his company, Rock City Hotel Limited, is running at a loss.

Acheampong dared Ablakwa to substantiate his claims regarding the financial status of Rock City Hotel, offering to gift him his properties in East Legon and some hotels if Ablakwa could prove his allegations. Ablakwa had alleged that documents intercepted from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) indicate that Rock City Hotel Limited is running at a loss and hence unfit to buy the lucrative and profit-making SSNIT hotels.

However, Acheampong dismissed these assertions as baseless and without merit, stating that the company’s managers have not filed their 2023 taxes yet, and therefore, the GRA is not aware of the company’s financial status.

Ablakwa maintained that he does not need any personal gains or gifts and that he is only performing his oversight role as a lawmaker to ensure that public officials do not engage in any shady deals.

The debate over the sale of SSNIT hotels has been ongoing, with many calling for transparency and accountability in the process. The fate of the hotels remains uncertain, as the government and SSNIT have not made any official statements on the matter.