Accra, Ghana//-Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Dogbe, has clarified that Friday’s demolition of structures along a section of the beachfront near the Labadi Beach Hotel was not part of the government’s flood mitigation exercise.
In a Facebook post, Mr Dogbe said the operation was separate from the work of the National Flood Mitigation Task Force, which he said is currently operating around the Kpeshie Lagoon, East Legon Boundary Road, Oyarifa and behind Mayfair Estates.
He said those interventions are aimed at supporting the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to mitigate future flooding.
“Let’s not get it twisted. Friday’s action along a section of the beachfront was not a Flood Mitigation Action by the government task force,” he said.
Mr Dogbe said Friday’s operation was carried out under the supervision of National Security at the request of the Labadi Beach Hotel.
He said the structures affected, including the Polo Beach Club, were located on the beachfront in front of the hotel and, according to the hotel, were adversely affecting its safety, tranquillity and reputation.
“These are structures, some permanently built (Polo Beach Club and others) on the beach in front of the hotel, and which, according to the business, are adversely affecting the safety, tranquillity and reputation of the Hotel, diminishing the visitor experience and undermining the orderly management of one of Ghana’s most important tourism destinations,” he said.
He said the structures were also diminishing the visitor experience and undermining what he described as the orderly management of an important tourism destination.
The Polo Beach Club was demolished on Friday as security personnel continued a clearance exercise around the La beachfront. The operation involved personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service.
Mr Dogbe said the hotel would be in a better position to provide details on the reasons behind its request to reclaim the beachfront.
He, however, raised concerns about sanitation and security at what he described as unauthorised and unregulated commercial operations along the beach.
He said such activities created serious sanitation concerns and could also pose security risks.
Mr Dogbe also referenced drone footage and videos of the area while questioning whether the Labadi Beach Hotel was not justified in seeking to reclaim its beachfront.
He stressed that the area involved should not be confused with La Pleasure Beach.
The clarification comes amid controversy over the demolition, with the La Dade-Kotopon MP, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, questioning the exercise and saying she had previously been assured that structures around Labadi Beach would not be demolished.
The affected beachfront has also been the subject of a dispute over land ownership. Operators of the Polo Beach Club have taken legal action involving the Labadi Beach Hotel and other parties over the contested beachfront land.
Mr Dogbe’s intervention therefore seeks to distinguish Friday’s operation from the government’s flood mitigation programme, while presenting sanitation, security and tourism-management concerns as the reasons for the action.
