Mr Ablakwa Petitions CHRAJ: In a petition submitted to CHRAJ, Mr. Ablakwa requests a probe into a contentious deal involving the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and RockCity Hotel Limited.

Numerous grave accusations are listed in the petition, including cronyism, bribery, lack of due process, conflict of interest, and abuse of authority.

The discussions to transfer 60% of SSNIT’s ownership in six hotels—the Trust Lodge Hotel, Elmina Beach Resort, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and Labadi Beach Hotel—to Mr. Bryan Acheampong’s RockCity Hotel Limited were the subject of Mr. Ablakwa’s petition.

These talks, he said, had progressed far without the required authority. Mr. Acheampong, who is also the Minister of Food and Agriculture, allegedly broke some provisions of the Constitution by failing to obtain Speaker Alban Bagbin’s consent, according to Mr. Ablakwa.

Mr. Ablakwa noted that none of the 47 ministers and MPs who applied to hold office included Mr. Acheampong’s name. He contended that there was a possible conflict of interest and that this omission compromised constitutional power.

In response, SSNIT released a statement claiming that, out of all the proposals received, RockCity Hotel Limited had made the best technical and financial offer.

They stressed that the selection procedure was carried out in a transparent manner and closely complied with the Public Procurement Act.

Additionally, Mr. Bryan Acheampong denied the accusations, calling them false and defamatory. He urged Mr. Ablakwa to cease disseminating misleading information and expressed dislike for his claims. Mr. Acheampong emphasized that the deal was ethical and advantageous to SSNIT.

The planned sale has been met with intense opposition from organized labor unions, who contend that the hotels are lucrative and shouldn’t be sold.

They asserted that before making such a big choice, SSNIT should have consulted important parties, such as the legislature and the unions.

This lack of consultation has raised concerns about the policy formulation and implementation processes in the country.

A few government representatives, such as Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, the Member of Parliament for Sissala East, defended the deal by claiming that no laws had been breached.

They said that the SSNIT Board had properly approved the deal to guarantee the survival of SSNIT and the preservation of workers’ contributions, and they challenged the sale’s opponents to find any legal infractions.

Mr. Ablakwa underscored the necessity of wider public consultation, emphasizing that the hotels are national assets that SSNIT is holding in trust for the benefit of Ghanaians.

He expressed his disapproval of the decision-making process, claiming it was set up to “shortchange Ghanaian workers.” He urged Speaker Bagbin to act appropriately to put an end to the deal.