NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has pledged to rebuild the La beach economy and issue leases to each affected business, a day after structures on the beachfront near the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra were pulled down. His statement on Saturday, October 3, 2026, came as SSNIT defended the clearance, citing eight risks to the hotels it owns on behalf of Ghanaian workers and pensioners.
The demolition, carried out on Friday, October 2, with support from National Security, levelled popular spots including La Pleasure Beach and Polo Beach Club. Business owners and vendors were forced to leave the area as the exercise went on.
SSNIT’s Board of Trustees said it requested the support of National Security to protect the assets. La Dadekotopon MP Rita Naa Odoley Sowah has demanded answers, while the Presidency has insisted the exercise was not part of the government’s flood mitigation programme.
Bawumia pledges leases and redevelopment for La beach businesses
In a statement issued in Kumasi, where the NPP is holding its national delegates conference, Dr Bawumia said it was sad that “this very significant enclave” had been demolished “so wantonly.”
“It is particularly painful and surprising that even movable assets which the owners could have removed easily were destroyed,” he said.
He described La beach as a social, economic, cultural and international asset that supports thousands of livelihoods, especially for young people, and noted that it hosted activities during Ghana’s Year of Return.
“I am committed to save the thousands of jobs that beach economy supports and to improve them,” Dr Bawumia stated.
What Bawumia promised for the La beach economy
The NPP flagbearer listed a set of commitments for the beachfront if his party returns to power:
- Rebuild the beach economy and redesign the space to meet the required standards
- Issue leases to each business operating on the beach
- Allow the Labadi Beach Hotel and smaller businesses to coexist
- Engage LABOMA beach owners to resolve their concerns and ensure legal compliance
- Work on the lagoon to deal with flooding and environmental problems
He did not give figures on the cost of the plan, compensation or the number of jobs affected.
SSNIT explains why La beach structures were demolished
SSNIT says the structures adjoining the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel were unauthorised encroachments on assets that “belong to the workers and pensioners of Ghana.”
The Trust said it has “a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard these investments, preserve their value” and ensure sustained returns for contributors and pensioners. SSNIT’s plan to sell stakes in its hotels drew heated debate in 2024, when the National Pensions Regulatory Authority approved the sale of 60% of SSNIT’s shares in four hotels.
The 8 risks SSNIT cited for the Labadi beach clearance
According to SSNIT, the unauthorised occupants on the beachfront posed the following risks:
- Safety and security threats to hotel guests and employees
- Unauthorised access to sensitive areas of the hotels
- Fire, sanitation and health hazards
- Deterioration of beachfront standards
- Degradation of the coastal ecosystem
- Reputational damage to the hotels and Ghana’s tourism industry
- Disruption of hotel operations and revenue
- Further encroachment that would become “increasingly difficult and costly” to remove
SSNIT stressed that the exercise was not meant to stop the public from using the beach. “The beaches will be cleaned and restored to a safe and desirable state and will remain open to the public,” it said.
La Dadekotopon MP and NDC distance party from demolition
La Dadekotopon MP Rita Naa Odoley Sowah said the exercise was carried out by “the Labadi Beach Hotel and SSNIT, working with the National Security.”
“I want to say on authority that the party NDC is not aware of this and is not part of this,” she said, adding that the demolition destroyed businesses and personal property.
She said La Pleasure Beach had not been listed as a flood-prone site earmarked for intervention, and announced a stakeholder meeting next week with traditional authorities, the Municipal Chief Executive and other parties.
Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbe has also said the beach clearance was not a flood mitigation action by the government task force, which is focused on areas such as the Kpeshie Lagoon.
What the La beach demolition means for operators and beachgoers
For bar owners, vendors and workers who depended on the beachfront, the clearance means an immediate loss of business premises and income, with no compensation plan announced so far.
For beachgoers, SSNIT says access will remain, but some of Accra’s best-known weekend and entertainment spots are gone for now.
What happens next
SSNIT says the cleared areas will be cleaned and restored. The La Dadekotopon MP’s stakeholder meeting next week is expected to bring together traditional leaders and local authorities to discuss the fallout.
The issue is set to remain politically charged, with the opposition NPP now promising a redevelopment and lease scheme for the beach businesses.
Key details at a glance
- What: Demolition of structures including La Pleasure Beach and Polo Beach Club in Accra
- When: Friday, October 2, 2026
- Who requested it: SSNIT, with support from National Security
- Hotels involved: Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel
- SSNIT’s position: Eight risks cited; beaches to remain open to the public
- Bawumia’s pledge: Rebuild the beach economy and issue leases to each business
- Next step: Stakeholder meeting called by MP Rita Naa Odoley Sowah next week
FAQs
Why was La Pleasure Beach demolished?
SSNIT says structures next to the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel were unauthorised and posed safety, sanitation, environmental and reputational risks to the hotels it holds for workers and pensioners.
Is La beach still open to the public?
Yes. SSNIT says the beaches will be cleaned, restored and will remain open to the public.
What did Bawumia promise La beach businesses?
Dr Bawumia pledged to rebuild the beach economy, redesign the area, issue leases to each business and allow small operators to coexist with the Labadi Beach Hotel.
The La beach demolition has turned a dispute over hotel beachfronts into a national political issue. SSNIT insists it acted to protect pensioners’ investments and that the beach stays public, the La Dadekotopon MP is demanding answers, and Dr Bawumia is promising leases and a rebuilt beach economy for the businesses that lost their premises. Details on support for affected operators are still awaited, and you can read SSNIT’s full statement as reported by 3News.
