The Social Security and Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has justified its decision to sell a 60% stake in four of its hotels to Rock City, a company owned by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

According to them, the offer submitted by Rock City Hotel was the most outstanding and the strongest technical and financial proposal among the bids received, per their Request for Proposals (RFP) criteria.

SSNIT indicated that there was no favoritism or bias in the procurement process as alleged by some political figures in the country, but rather a transparent one.

It was also noted that bids from other companies seeking to procure the hotels were not enough to meet their demands, leading to Rock City Hotel leading the negotiations.

"Based on the criteria set out in the RFP, Rock City Hotel submitted the best and strongest technical and financial proposal amongst those received. Consequently, it is in negotiation with SSNIT to buy a 60% stake in each of the four hotels (Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, and Elmina Beach Resort).

"Bids for Busua Beach Resort and the Trust Lodge were considered unsuccessful, so they are no longer part of the hotels covered in this process," an excerpt of their statement read, as quoted by myjoyonline.com.

SSNIT remarked after the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleged that six hotels belonging to the state-owned SSNIT were being sold to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

In a post shared on social media on Friday, May 17, 2024, the MP indicated that documents he had intercepted show that negotiations to sell 60% of the shares of the six SSNIT hotels to the minister's Rock City Hotel Limited were far advanced.

The North Tongu legislator pointed out that the sale of state properties to government officials constitutes an abuse of power and should not be allowed to happen.

"Intercepted documents in my possession confirm that SSNIT is far advanced in selling a controlling 60% stake in six of its hotels to Rock City Hotel Limited, owned by Hon. Bryan Acheampong, the MP for Abetifi and Minister for Food and Agriculture. Hon. Acheampong is a director and the sole beneficial owner of Rock City Hotel Limited.

"The six SSNIT hotels being sold are: Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and Trust Lodge Hotel," he wrote.

Ablakwa further disclosed that he had petitioned the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate and stop the minister from acquiring the hotels.

SB/AE