By Governance expert Professor Baffour Agyemang Duah has stated that it is morally wrong for the Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, to acquire hotels from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
This comment follows SSNIT’s near-completion of a deal to sell its 60% shares in Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, and Elmina Beach Resort to Rock City Hotel.
North Tongu Member of Parliament, Okudzeto Ablakwa, has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the sale of six hotels, including Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and the Trust Lodge Hotel, to Bryan Acheampong.
In response, SSNIT indicated that Rock City Hotel submitted the best proposal based on its criteria for the sale.
“Based on the criteria set out in the RFP, Rock City Hotel submitted the best and strongest technical and financial proposal amongst those received. Consequently, it is in negotiation with SSNIT to buy a 60% stake in each of the four (4) hotels (Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, and Elmina Beach Resort),” SSNIT added in a statement.
Speaking on GHOne TV’s State of Affairs show with Francis Abban, the Governance Expert pointed out that the involvement of Mr. Bryan Acheampong, a political figure, in the acquisition raises immediate concerns, even before delving into the specifics.
“At a glance the optics are awful, the optics just look at it without even delving into it. The fact that the Minister of State, though we know that he started the process of acquiring this before he was appointed a Minister nonetheless he was in Parliament.
“He is a known political figure, so whether he started the process before being appointed a Minister or he got it during his Ministerial appointment it’s the same. I think the optics are very bad. You see in governance even if it is legal you don’t do it because morally it’s wrong,” Prof Agyemang Duad stated.
Source: GHOne TV
