TEMA, Ghana, 3rd October: The Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has backed the demolition of structures at the Labadi and La Palm beachfronts by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), describing the exercise as necessary to protect workers’ investments.
SSNIT said the October 2, 2026 demolition was undertaken to clear unlawful encroachments and safeguard vital assets belonging to workers and pensioners.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme on Saturday, October 3, Mr Koomson said organised labour had previously opposed attempts to sell the Labadi Beach Hotel under the Akufo-Addo administration because of its strategic location and potential to generate revenue for the country.
According to him, after organised labour, including the GFL, resisted the proposed sale of the hotel, attention shifted to the beachfront, which he alleged was subsequently subjected to encroachment.
“Tourists want a place like that and it brings a lot of income into the country,” he said, questioning why any government would consider disposing of such a strategically located national asset.
Mr Koomson recalled an engagement between organised labour and the SSNIT Board and Trustees at the Labadi Beach Hotel two months ago, where labour representatives were informed the hotels are making profit and there’s no need to sell them.
He said the decision to demolish the unlawful structures was justified because the beachfront forms part of assets held for the benefit of workers and pensioners.
“We have to bring that place down because if SSNIT doesn’t have money and it collapses, it will be dire for workers and pensioners,” he said.
He said the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel belong to the pension funds and workers of Ghana, giving SSNIT a fiduciary duty to preserve their value and returns.
Mr Koomson further maintained that SSNIT is not a distressed institution that needs to dispose of its properties to survive.
He attributed the Trust’s current financial position to measures implemented by its new management, insisting that the institution remains profitable.
He warned that any situation that threatens SSNIT’s financial sustainability would have serious consequences for pensioners who depend on the Trust for their retirement benefits.
The GFL Secretary General also accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration of deliberately weakening some state assets to facilitate their eventual sale.
He cited the demolition of structures at the Trade Fair Centre under the previous administration as an example of what he described as an attempt to break down state assets and make the land available for private interests.
Mr Koomson said the SSNIT beachfront demolition could appear excessive to people who are unaware of the history surrounding the property and the alleged encroachments.
“If you don’t know the history, you will feel bad about the demolition, but the place is for workers and the future of workers,” he said.
He alleged that some individuals who came into political office sought to use state assets for personal enrichment rather than protecting them for the benefit of the wider population.
According to him, the demolition was therefore necessary to reclaim the property and protect workers’ investments.
Mr Koomson also questioned whether former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration intended to dispose of a significant number of state properties and lands during its tenure.
He maintained that state assets must be protected and managed in a manner that safeguards the interests of workers, pensioners and the broader Ghanaian public.
