Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, is calling for mass demonstrations in Ghana over the sale of SSNIT hotels, drawing inspiration from the recent youth-led protests in Kenya.
The protests in Kenya successfully pressured the government to withdraw a controversial finance bill that proposed significant tax increases.
Referencing these events, Mr. Ablakwa criticized President Akufo-Addo for his unwavering support of the sale of four SSNIT Hotels to Rock City, a company owned by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.
In a social media post on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Mr. Ablakwa highlighted that despite a meeting with organized labour earlier in the week and a demonstration dubbed ‘Hands Off Our Hotels,’ the President has maintained his stance on the sale.
Mr. Ablakwa accused the SSNIT board chair, Elizabeth Ohene, who was appointed by President Akufo-Addo, of defending the deal despite widespread opposition from Ghanaians and protests from labour representatives on the board.
He labeled President Akufo-Addo as the “chief architect” of what he describes as a controversial and unpopular deal, declaring that it is time for Ghanaians to mobilize and launch their own version of Kenya’s protests.
“President Akufo-Addo refused to stop the sale of our SSNIT hotels when he met organized labour yesterday [Tuesday],” Mr. Ablakwa stated. “Akufo-Addo’s appointed SSNIT board chair, Elizabeth Ohene, is also boldly justifying the stinky deal despite overwhelming opposition from Ghanaians and the protest of labour reps on her board.”
He urged citizens to stay tuned for a major announcement regarding plans for a significant demonstration.
“It’s now confirmed beyond any scintilla of doubt — President Akufo-Addo is the chief architect of all the putrefying State Capture. It’s time to declare our own version of what just happened in Kenya,” he posted.
The Kenyan protests escalated dramatically, leading to the burning of cars and part of the parliament building on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
Tragically, several protestors lost their lives, allegedly due to police actions, with many others injured. Facing intense pressure, Kenyan President William Ruto ultimately reversed his stance and withdrew the tax plan.