The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has expressed support for the recent demolition exercise at the Labadi Beach beachfront, including structures associated with the Polo Beach Club.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme in Accra on Saturday, October 3, 2026, Mr Koomson said beachfront properties and hotels around the world are regarded as valuable national assets and should be properly protected and managed.
He argued that under the former Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration, there was an attempt to dispose of Ghanaian state assets, including hotels, rather than preserve them for future generations.
According to Mr Koomson, some of the hotels were deliberately allowed to deteriorate in order to create a justification for their eventual sale.
“All over the world, hotels at the seaside are treated as treasures. With Nana Addo in charge, he wanted to dispose of all Ghana’s assets.”
Mr Koomson further alleged that the previous administration intentionally mismanaged some state-owned hotels so that government could later argue that the facilities were no longer viable and should be sold.
He also referenced the recent demolition exercise at Labadi Beach, saying he supported the operation because, in his view, it was necessary to protect the country’s assets.
The demolition exercise on October 2 affected structures around the Labadi Beach beachfront, including the Polo Beach Club. The operation has generated public discussion, particularly over the ownership, occupation and management of the beachfront area.
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has explained that it requested National Security’s intervention to remove what it described as unauthorised occupants and encroachment around the beachfront of Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel.
SSNIT said the two hotels form part of its investment portfolio and explained that the beaches would be restored while remaining open to the public.
Allegation over Polo Beach Club
Mr Koomson also alleged that the beachside property had been sold to the son of a former NPP National Chairman.
Reports have identified the Polo Beach Club as being linked to Kwame Blay, son of former NPP National Chairman Freddie Blay. The allegation concerning the ownership or acquisition of the property has, however, not been established by a court in the information cited.
SSNIT hotel sale controversy
Mr Koomson also revisited the controversial SSNIT hotel transaction of 2024, recalling organised labour’s strong opposition to the proposed sale of a 60 per cent stake in four SSNIT-owned hotels.
The affected facilities included Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel and Elmina Beach Resort.
Organised Labour opposed the proposed transaction and eventually declared industrial action over the issue. SSNIT later terminated the transaction after the preferred bidder, Rock City Hotel, withdrew its bid.
SSNIT had defended the proposed transaction at the time, explaining that it was intended to raise capital, introduce professional expertise, improve efficiency and profitability, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the pension scheme.
Mr Koomson, however, has consistently argued that the hotels should not have been sold and that qualified Ghanaian professionals should instead have been given the opportunity to manage and restructure the facilities.
He maintained that valuable state and workers’ assets must be protected and managed in a manner that preserves their long-term value for future generations and the workers whose contributions underpin the pension system.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah