The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has backed the demolition of structures along the Labadi and La Palm beachfronts by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), describing the exercise as necessary to protect workers’ investments.
SSNIT undertook the demolition exercise on October 2, 2026, as part of efforts to remove what it described as unlawful encroachments and unauthorised structures from the beachfronts adjoining the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel.
Speaking on Ahotor FM on Saturday, October 3, Mr Koomson said organised labour had previously resisted plans under the Akufo-Addo administration to sell the Labadi Beach Hotel because of its strategic location and revenue-generating potential.
According to him, following opposition from organised labour, including the GFL, attention shifted to the hotel’s beachfront, where he alleged that encroachments subsequently increased.
“Tourists want a place like that and it brings a lot of income into the country,” he said, questioning the rationale for disposing of a strategically located national asset.
Mr Koomson said organised labour had engaged the SSNIT Board and Trustees at the Labadi Beach Hotel about two months ago, during which they were informed that the hotels were profitable and there was no immediate need to sell them.
He therefore defended SSNIT’s decision to clear the structures from the beachfront, arguing that the properties form part of assets held for the benefit of workers and pensioners.
“We have to bring that place down because if SSNIT doesn’t have money and it collapses, it will be dire for workers and pensioners,” he said.
The GFL Secretary-General stressed that the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel were effectively assets of Ghanaian workers and pensioners, placing a fiduciary responsibility on SSNIT to protect their value and ensure sustainable returns.
He maintained that SSNIT was not a distressed institution that needed to dispose of its properties to remain operational.
Mr Koomson attributed the Trust’s current financial position to measures implemented by its new management and said the institution remained profitable.
He warned that any development that undermined SSNIT’s financial sustainability could have serious consequences for pensioners who rely on the Trust for their retirement benefits.
The GFL official also accused the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration of weakening certain state assets in ways he alleged could facilitate their eventual sale.
He cited the demolition of structures at the Trade Fair Centre under the previous administration as an example of what he described as efforts to break up state assets and make the underlying land available for private interests.
Mr Koomson acknowledged that the SSNIT demolition could appear excessive to people unfamiliar with the history of the properties and the alleged encroachments.
“If you don’t know the history, you will feel bad about the demolition, but the place is for workers and the future of workers,” he said.
He further alleged that some political office holders had sought to use state assets for personal enrichment instead of preserving them for the benefit of the wider population.
According to him, the demolition was therefore necessary to reclaim the affected property and protect workers’ investments.
Mr Koomson also questioned whether the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had intended to dispose of a significant number of state properties and lands during its tenure.
He called for the protection and responsible management of state assets to safeguard the interests of workers, pensioners and the wider Ghanaian public.
