Organiser of the 'Hands Off our Hotels' demonstration Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa presented a 15-point petition to government on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 after the protest in Accra.
The petition was received on behalf of government by Deputy Chief of Staff, Emmanuel Adumoa Bossman.
The petition among other demands, called upon President Akufo-Addo to immediately halt the sale process.
The North Tongu lawmaker Ablakwa noted that the sale of state properties has historically not served Ghana’s best interests and insists that such transactions should not proceed without the collective consent of Ghanaians.
“…We hereby make the following demands: We call on President Akufo-Addo to immediately stop the sale of our SSNIT hotels. We take the view that state assets should not be sold, especially profitable ones. Historically, since 1966, the sale of state assets has not been in the supreme interest of Ghana, and we, therefore, cannot continue on this destructive trajectory.
“In any case, the government should not sell state properties without the consent of all Ghanaians. It is wrong, immoral, and unethical for ministers and government officials to buy state assets. President Akufo-Addo must not preside over this detestable and dangerous practice.
“Particularly, when he assured this country that his appointees who want to make money through sch transactions should rather stay in the private sector,” he stated.
The march held earlier in the day starting from the Labadi Beach Hotel ended prematurely.
This came after the police barred the members of the ‘Hands Off Our Hotels Demonstration’ from marching to the Jubilee House.
The protest was supposed to conclude at the Christ the King School, where leadership would go and submit a petition at the Jubilee House but the police took a last-minute decision and barred the march close to the seat of government.
Ablakwa told the media that a brief scuffle ensued that led to the police using water cannons and tear gas resulting in some of the protesters being rushed to the 37 Military Hospital for medical attention.
“Why fire tear gas, as we speak now, they have rushed some people to the hospital and they should pray that there are no causalities,” Ablakwa said.
