Bryan Acheampong dares Ablakwa to prove that Rock City Hotel is incurring losses
Food and Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong has challenged claims made by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who alleged that Acheampong ‘s hotel, Rock City, is incurring losses. Acheampong firmly disputes these claims, stating they are baseless and without merit.
“Rock City is not making losses. There is no one anywhere who can say that Rock City is making losses.
I saw Okudzeto and Sammy Gyamfi in the studio exaggerating. Okudzeto was in smock exaggerating that Rock City is making losses and that he has intercepted documents from GRA,” Acheampong declared.
This controversy is part of a larger debate surrounding the proposed sale of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust’s (SSNIT) stake in several hotels to Acheampong’s entity.
Ablakwa contends that Rock City Hotel, located in the Eastern Region, is unprofitable, citing alleged documents to support his claims.
Ablakwa further questioned Acheampong’s qualifications to manage hotels effectively, arguing, “It is not about anybody coming to save these hotels.
If that person had the magic wand and was the saviour, he would have saved his hotel which is making losses.
While Labadi Beach Hotel and Ridge Royal are making profits, according to the GRA filings, Rock City has made losses and continues to make losses.
Last year [2023], Rock City made a loss, they didn’t pay any tax. This tells you that this cannot be about somebody with expertise in making profits or transforming hotels. This is just pure state capture. It is a classic state capture.”
In response, Acheampong has called Ablakwa’s bluff, insisting that Ablakwa’s statements are false and unfounded.
Acheampong emphasized that Rock City has not yet filed its 2023 taxes, making it impossible for Ablakwa to have obtained any legitimate documents from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
“All he [Ablakwa] is saying are lies. There is nothing truthful about what Okudzeto said concerning that matter. In the first place, Rock City has informed me, and I have checked with the GRA that they have not filed their 2023 taxes. So, they have not filed yet. Rock City has not even gone to GRA, their plan is to file at the end of the month. So where did he get the document from? What he is saying is fabricated and a lie,” Acheampong asserted.
ALSO READ: Sale of SSNIT hotels: CHRAJ formally writes to SSNIT, Bryan Acheampong, others
In an interview with Media General’s Nana Yaa Brefo, Acheampong reiterated, “Rock City has not even filed its 2023 taxes. It is due in June ending. So where did he get it from? Today I am daring him.”
The debate over the sale of SSNIT’s stake in the hotels has sparked significant public outcry.
On June 18, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Labadi Beach Hotel for the “Hands Off Our Hotels” protest.
The protest aimed to pressure the government to halt the proposed sale of a 60 percent stake in four major hotels owned by SSNIT to Rock City Hotel.
The hotels involved include the Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, and Busua Beach Resort.
Ablakwa, who organized the protest, argues that selling state-owned properties to government officials represents a clear abuse of power and should not be tolerated.
The demonstration received broad support from civil society organizations, concerned citizens, and opposition political groups, all united in their stance against what they see as an unethical and potentially damaging transaction.
The controversy over the SSNIT hotel sale continues to unfold, with both sides standing firm in their positions.
The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for transparency and governance in Ghana’s public sector.
Share Our Post on the Topic ‘Bryan Acheampong dares Ablakwa to prove that Rock City Hotel is incurring losses’.
To Read More Stories, Click Here