Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, will organise a demonstration today against the sale of a 60% share in four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel, which is controlled by Food and Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong.
Ablakwa, Organised Labour, and other parties have questioned the process that led to the selection of Rock City as a credible buyer for the hotels.
In an interview with Citi News, the North Tongu MP indicated that the demonstration is intended to force the government to discontinue the process.
“If honourable Bryan Acheampong has the expertise and capacity to turn hotels around, he is sitting in cabinet, why doesn’t he bring that to bear so that we can turn these hotels around if indeed they turning around for it to benefit all of us?
“Why is it that he will only bring his expertise to bear when he has bought it when he now has controlling shares of 60 percent, he stands to benefit directly as the sole shareholder of Rock City. I mean, how can you explain this? So what is he doing in the cabinet? Why are we paying him?”
He added that the transaction is a clear case of state capture by appointees of the government.
“It is clear that this is all about state capture, and that is why all of us must rise up. If the numbers are massive, and I have no doubt that we are going to have a massive turnout, we will send a very clear message to the president that enough of the state capture.”
