New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Sekondi and Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has criticised his colleague MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for his stance against the proposed sale of four SSNIT hotels to the Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong's Rock City Hotel.

Mr Mercer accused Ablakwa of creating a false impression of state capture with his advocacy efforts.

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile programme on Saturday, June 22, the Sekondi MP argued that Mr Ablakwa's petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) against Dr Acheampong is unlikely to succeed.

In Mercer's view, Ablakwa's actions are driven by partisan politics rather than genuine national interest advocacy.

He dismissed Ablakwa's efforts as politically motivated and not aimed at addressing any real issues.

"I think that it has become apparent to the petitioner [Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa] that the petition that he submitted to CHRAJ is not going to wash. Hence, he is finding the means as it were to create a certain impression to the effect of state capture and all sort of jargon,"he stated.

The hotels in question are Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Beach Hotel, Royal Ridge Hotel, and Busua Beach Hotel.

Aside from his petition to CHRAJ to investigate the transaction, Mr Ablakwa also led a protest against the sale that attracted various stakeholders, during which they petitioned the presidency to stop the sale.