La Dade-Kotopon MP Condemns Unannounced Demolition at La Pleasure Beach
Rita Naa Odoley Sowah protests demolition at La Pleasure Beach, accuses hotel interests of bypassing authorities and endangering livelihoods.
La Dade-Kotopon MP Rita Naa Odoley Sowah has publicly condemned a demolition exercise at La Pleasure Beach, accusing the Labadi Beach Hotel and its Board Chairman of leading the operation without government knowledge or community consultation. Speaking during the exercise, she questioned why authorities were displacing residents and traders who depend on the area for their livelihoods. "What is that? Why? What has happened? Why? They want to kill us," she said, expressing frustration over the sudden impact on families who had built homes and businesses on the land. The MP emphasized that previous disputes, including those in Wooden Estate and Laboma, had not involved such abrupt actions, and she warned that the current situation risked repeating patterns seen elsewhere. She revealed she had contacted both the hotel’s Managing Director and Board Chairman, only to receive conflicting accounts. While the MD claimed ignorance of any planned demolition, the Board Chairman reportedly told her the hotel owned the land and intended to proceed. Traditional leaders in the area also informed her they had never transferred ownership of the land to the hotel, contradicting official claims. Despite these revelations, the MP noted that armed security personnel were present at the site, creating a tense atmosphere. She stressed that she had made every effort to seek information from relevant authorities, but was repeatedly assured no demolition was planned. Government officials, she said, had assured her the operation would not occur, making the current action deeply confusing and unacceptable. The MP also highlighted the broader implications, noting that the demolition threatened not just individual livelihoods but also the cultural and economic fabric of La, a community historically tied to the beach area. Her statements have intensified public scrutiny over the transparency of such projects and the rights of residents in the face of development pressures.
