CHRAJ officially begins investigation into sale of SSNIT hotels

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has commenced investigations into the proposed sale of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT’s) majority stake in four hotels.

The constitutionally mandated body, is said to have written formally to the petitioner and Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, management of SSNIT, the Food and Agriculture Minister, Bryan Acheampong and others named in the petition.

Mr Ablakwa, who confirmed this, said other stakeholders linked to the sale of the hotels, have been reached by CHRAJ, signaling the beginning of investigations into the matter.

“CHRAJ has written. They have told us that they are investigating the matter. They have also informed us that they have written to all the people who have been named in our petition, that is SSNIT, Honorable Bryan Acheampong and all the others. So, the investigations are ongoing,” he said.

According to him, “They have told us also to hold ourselves in readiness which we are because we have intercepted other documents, including the memos which revealed that the Honorable Bryan Acheampong is offering way below the fair market value.”

The North Tongu MP, made this known during an interview with JoyNews on the sideline of ‘Hands Off Our Hotels’ demonstration on Tuesday, June 18, which recorded a massive turn up.

Mr Ablakwa, therefore, called on CHRAJ, to expedite work on the petition.

“We are standing in readiness to submit all the latest documents to CHRAJ, so we are only pleading with CHRAJ that they will expedite their action.

“Because I have another petition with CHRAJ [The National Cathedral petition] which has taken about sixteen months and we don’t want this one to follow the same trajectory,” he said.

This comes after the outspoken politician, petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, seeking an investigation into the sale of hotels owned by SSNIT to the Abetifi MP, Bryan Acheampong on May 17.

In his petition, Mr Ablakwa, asserts that there are ongoing plans to sell a controlling 60percent stake in four hotels owned by SSNIT to Rock City Hotel Limited, a company owned by Dr Bryan Acheampong.

The hotels under scrutiny in the petition, include Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and the Trust Lodge Hotel.

Mr Ablakwa’s petition to CHRAJ, seeks an investigation into various allegations, including conflict of interest, abuse of power, lack of due process, procurement breaches, cronyism, and graft.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations officer (PRO) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Naa Ayele Ardayfio Sekyere, has said the just ended demonstration was not in any way meant to make the convenor, Mr Ablakwa popular.

According to her, the move was to ensure pensioners do not retire poor after years of service to the country.

“It’s not about Okudzeto, It’s about people’s monies. It’s not about organized labour. I’m going on pension very soon. I don’t want to retire as a pauper after serving and giving my time to Ghana.

“Then I should have gone somewhere to work where I would be appreciated at the end of the day. So, it’s nothing about Okudzeto. If you think it’s about Okudzeto, well, sorry it’s about my pension money”, Naa Ayele, lamented on the Sunrise show on 3FM Wednesday June 19, with Johnnie Hughes.

She also argued that, the Agric Minister is caught in a conflict of interest situation in the move to acquire the hotels belonging to SSNIT.

“I am a contributor to SSNIT and I am saying that if Labadi beach is making money, don’t sell it, especially to a cabinet minister. It’s conflict of interest.

Asked if she is surprised that Bryan Acheampong, has not backed off the hotels she said “why he’s still there, I don’t know.”

The PRO, further questioned Brayan Acheampong’s reasons for wanting to buy the SSNIT hotels.

“Why do you want to be disgraced and taken to the gallows before you move out? And anyway, organized labour said it in no uncertain terms that if this sale goes on, we will do what we do best as workers. We have to meet the President next week or maybe his representative. We understand 24th or 25th or whatever,” she stated.

Source: Anchorghana.com