Abraham Koomson, the Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, insists that President Akufo-Addo should immediately stop the sale of SSNIT Hotels to Bryan Acheampong.
This request follows SSNIT’s nearly completed deal to sell its 60% ownership in Labadi Beach Hotel, LA Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ride Royal Hotel, and Elmina Beach Resort to Rock City Hotel.
After the “Hands Off our Hotel” protest, President Akufo-Addo has called for a meeting with Organised Labour on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss how to address the concerns surrounding the sale of the SSNIT hotels.
Speaking on Joy News’ News File on Saturday, June 22 monitored by Ahotoronline.com, Abraham Koomson emphasized that he expects nothing less from the President than an immediate halt to the hotel sale.
The President’s invitation comes amidst widespread concerns, including from Organised Labour, regarding SSNIT’s decision to sell a majority stake in the hotels to Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Agriculture.
The issue gained prominence following revelations by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, Ablakwa led a demonstration named “Hands off our Hotels,” presenting a petition to President Akufo-Addo urging him to stop the sale.
Mr. Ablakwa alleged that Rock City Hotels, owned by Bryan Acheampong and slated to take over the hotels, has been running at a loss and is not suitable to manage additional hotels. He claimed documents from the Ghana Revenue Authority showed Rock City did not file tax returns for 2022.
Bryan Acheampong denied these claims and challenged Ablakwa to produce the alleged documents.
Abraham Koomson expressed concern that the sale might proceed before the scheduled meeting with the President on Tuesday.
He criticized Organised Labour representatives on the SSNIT Board for not advocating effectively for ordinary citizens’ interests in the hotel sale, noting recent disorganization within the labor movement as a troubling trend for workers in Ghana.
Mr. Koomson called for amendments to the National Pension Act to better protect workers’ benefits. He suggested that if Bryan Acheampong alone could effectively manage these hotels for profit, the government should consider hiring him as CEO instead of selling off the hotels.
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE AUDIO BELOW:
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites) / Ahotoronline.com
