The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has explained its decision to remove unauthorised occupants and activities from the beachfront areas adjoining the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.
SSNIT said it sought the urgent intervention of the National Security Council Secretariat to address what it described as persistent unlawful occupation, encroachment and unauthorised activities along the beachfront directly adjoining and in front of the two hotels.
Both Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel form part of SSNIT’s investment portfolio and are regarded as important assets within Ghana’s hospitality and tourism sector.
The pension fund manager said it has a fiduciary responsibility to protect these investments, preserve their value and ensure that they continue to generate sustainable returns for Ghanaian workers and pensioners covered under the Basic National Social Security Scheme.
SSNIT emphasised that the assets ultimately belong to Ghanaian workers and pensioners.
SSNIT Highlights Risks of Beachfront Encroachment
According to SSNIT, the continued encroachment and unauthorised activities created several risks to the hotels, their guests and the surrounding environment.
The concerns identified by the organisation include:
- Security and safety risks for hotel guests, employees, service providers and visitors.
- Unauthorised access and close proximity to sensitive guest and operational areas.
- Increased exposure to fire, sanitation, environmental and public health risks.
- Deterioration of the beachfront and potential impact on the privacy and service standards expected at internationally recognised hotels.
- Damage to the coastal ecosystem through construction activities on the beachfront and beach sand.
- Potential reputational damage to the hotels, SSNIT and Ghana’s tourism industry.
- Disruption to hotel operations and the overall beach experience for guests, potentially affecting patronage, revenue and financial performance.
- The possibility of further beachfront encroachment, which could make the recovery of affected areas more difficult and expensive in the future.
SSNIT Seeks National Security Support
SSNIT said it requested assistance from the National Security authorities as part of efforts to protect assets belonging to Ghanaian workers and pensioners.
The organisation said the intervention is intended to safeguard the beachfront areas, protect the hotels’ operations and preserve the value of SSNIT’s investments.
Beaches to Be Cleaned and Restored
SSNIT further announced that the affected beaches will undergo cleaning and restoration to return them to a safe and desirable condition.
The organisation clarified that the beachfronts will remain open to the public, following the restoration exercise.
The move forms part of broader efforts to protect Ghana’s coastal environment, safeguard tourism infrastructure and preserve strategic national assets for the benefit of workers, pensioners and the wider public.
Read Statement Below:
Source: newsthemegh.com