Some participants of the 'Hands Off Our Hotels' demonstration which took place in Accra on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, were spotted throwing stones at officers of the Police Service who were providing security for the match.
The attack which appeared unprovoked saw the officers seeking cover under their shields as they continued to provide security for the protesters.
Tension even got higher after the Police insisted the demonstrators will not be allowed to breach the agreed routes when they got to the Christ the King Catholic Church near the Jubilee House.
The protesters, who insisted on moving to the seat of government despite the police blockade, clashed with the armed uniformed men.
Teargas and rubber bullets were reportedly fired to disperse the determined crowd, causing some of the protesters to collapse and be rushed to the hospital.
The demonstration which was intended to stop government from selling 60% shares in some hotels belonging to SSNIT ended peacefully with the leaders being guided by the Police to present their petition.
The hotels in question are the Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Busua Beach Resort.
The protest commenced at Labadi Beach Hotel and proceed to Jubilee House, the government headquarters.
Among the protesters' demands is an immediate cessation of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) hotels' sale by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
They argued that profitable state assets like Labadi Beach Hotel and Ridge Royal should never be sold without the consent of workers.
The group asserted that these assets are more lucrative than Rock City Hotel, owned by Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong.
However, the leader of the protest, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has raised concerns about the capability of Food and Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong to turn around the fortunes of the SSNIT hotels, which he intends to purchase through his company, Rock City Hotel Limited.
During a media briefing at a protest against the transaction held at Labadi Beach Hotel, Ablakwa described the deal as part of a broader pattern of state asset misappropriation by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government.
He noted that Labadi Beach Hotel, Ridge Royal, and other SSNIT hotels are profitable, while Rock City Hotel Limited has a history of consistent losses. Consequently, Ablakwa questioned the claims of Acheampong's expertise in hotel management.
Watch the video below:
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