The Member of Parliament for La Dade-Kotopon Municipality, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, has accused the Labadi Beach Hotel of leading a demolition exercise at the Labadi Beach area without properly informing local authorities and traditional leaders.

She said the exercise was being carried out despite assurances she had received from relevant authorities that no demolition would take place.

Speaking to the media at the site, she said neither the government nor the traditional authorities in La had been adequately informed about the exercise.

“It is the Labadi Beach Hotel with their board chairman who is leading this exercise. Government has no knowledge; I will put it on record; government does not know about this,” she said.

According to the MP, she only became aware of the planned demolition after receiving information about it and subsequently contacted the relevant authorities to establish whether the exercise had been authorised.

“I got to know the fact that they were going to carry out demolitions here. And I went to where I had to go, the authorities, and they assured me that Labadi Beach Hotel will not be demolished,” she said.

Madam Sowah said she also contacted the Managing Director of the Labadi Beach Hotel, who, according to her, said he was unaware of the planned exercise.

“I called their MD for Labadi Beach Hotel. He said he didn't know anything about it,” she said.

She said the response from the board chairman was different, as he confirmed to her that the demolition would go ahead because the land belonged to the Labadi Beach Hotel.

“I called the board chair, and he told me on authority that they were going to demolish the place because it belongs to Labadi Beach Hotel,” she said.

The MP also raised concerns about the presence of armed security personnel during the exercise.

“I have called the authorities, and they said they don’t know anything about it. And now they are welding their guns at us,” she said.

Madam Sowah said that she had not ignored the situation but had made efforts to engage the relevant authorities and traditional leaders.

“So it's not that I sat down unconcerned, but most of the things they would not inform us. Not even my chiefs,” she said.

She added that the traditional authorities had already invited the Labadi Beach Hotel for discussions and that the hotel had responded.

“The chiefs have invited Labadi Beach Hotel; they have responded,” she said.