On a Friday morning along Accra’s iconic La Beach, the sound of demolition echoed across the coastline.
Vendors and business owners watched as bulldozers, under the watchful eye of military personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment and the Ghana Police Service, dismantled structures including the La Pleasure Beach and the Polo Beach Club, both nestled near the renowned Labadi Beach Hotel.
News of the demolition quickly spread, with many assuming it was part of the government’s ongoing flood mitigation efforts. But Stan Dogbe, Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, stepped forward to set the record straight. In a Facebook post on Friday, October 2, Mr. Dogbe explained that the operation had no connection to the government’s flood mitigation task force. “Let’s not get it twisted,” he wrote. “Friday’s action along a section of the beachfront was not a Flood Mitigation Action by the government task force.”
According to Mr. Dogbe, the government’s flood mitigation activities are currently focused elsewhere – at the Kpeshie Lagoon, East Legon Boundary Road, Oyarifa, and behind Mayfair Estates. The beachfront operation, he revealed, was instead done at the request of the Labadi Beach Hotel, with National Security overseeing the exercise.
“These are structures, some permanently built, like the Polo Beach Club and others, on the beach in front of the hotel,” Mr. Dogbe clarified. “According to the business, these structures 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.”
While the hotel is expected to provide further details about its decision, Mr. Dogbe raised broader concerns about sanitation and security along the beach. He argued that unauthorised and unregulated commercial activities posed serious sanitation issues and security risks.
Having reviewed drone footage and videos of the beachfront, Mr. Dogbe posed a question to the public: “Is the Labadi Beach Hotel not right in reclaiming its beachfront (I am not talking about the La Pleasure Beach, please)?”
As the dust settled on the La Beach demolition, Stan Dogbe’s clarification sought to refocus the narrative, reminding the public that this was not about flood prevention, but rather, about restoring order and protecting one of Ghana’s cherished tourism destinations.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com