Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has highlighted a timeline discrepancy between when Rock City Hotel began operations and when the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) procurement processes for the sale of the hotels started.
He noted in a post on X platform that that Rock City Hotel commenced operations in November 2019, a year after the SSNIT procurement processes began in November 2018.
Mr Ablakwa is presently concerned about how Rock City Hotel, within a short period of operation, managed to outperform and outbid 14 other firms in the procurement process, implying a potential lack of transparency or fairness in the selection process
“It’s interesting to discover from the SSNIT statement that their controversial procurement processes for the sale of the 6 hotels started on November 14, 2018. In November 2018, Rock City had not opened for business. According to the management of Rock City in an interview with the Miami Herald, Phase 1 of Rock City commenced operations in November 2019 — a year after the SSNIT procurement processes were rolled out. It is even more profound that soon after commencing operations in the middle of the SSNIT procurement, Rock City gathered the financial and technical might to knock out all the other 14 firms they competed against,” he wrote.
He made this concern known after the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) announced that the process of securing a strategic investor for some of its hotels is in the final stages, emphasizing that no agreement has been concluded yet.
In a press release on Sunday, SSNIT denied any foul play in its decision to sell a 60% stake in its hotels to Rock City Hotel, which is owned by the Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr. Bryan Acheampong.
This announcement follows a formal petition lodged by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate allegations surrounding the sale of six hotels: Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel, Busua Beach Resort, and Trust Lodge Hotel.
Mr. Ablakwa’s petition to CHRAJ calls for an investigation into several allegations, including conflict of interest, abuse of power, lack of due process, procurement breaches, cronyism, and graft.
In his petition, Mr. Ablakwa cites what he views as violations of constitutional provisions, specifically Articles 78(3) and 98(2) of the 1992 Constitution.
In a subsequent Facebook post on Friday, May 17, he argued that Dr. Bryan Acheampong’s alleged involvement in the hotel sale without the Speaker of Parliament’s permission constitutes a breach of parliamentary protocol regarding holding offices of profit.
“In my petition, I am inviting CHRAJ to investigate grave matters bothering on conflict of interest, abuse of power, lack of due process, procurement breaches, cronyism, and graft.”
“I have also drawn attention to blatant violations of Article 78(3) and 98(2) of the 1992 Constitution as diligent checks from Parliament’s Committee on Office of Profit reveal that Hon. Bryan Acheampong has not applied and does not have the permission of the Speaker of Parliament to hold an office of profit,” he said.
However, the Trust clarified that the strategy to partner with an investor to raise capital for its hotels and assist in their management began as far back as 2018, following the International Competitive Tendering (ICT) processes prescribed by the Public Procurement Act.
SSNIT stated that the process commenced in November 2018, after hiring a Transaction Advisor to guide the selection of a strategic investor, among other responsibilities.
“Further advertisements for an Expression of Interest (EOI) for a Strategic Partner for the SSNIT Hotels were placed in the Daily Graphic on 3rd February 2022 and in the Ghanaian Times on 7th February 2022. The advertisement was also published in The Economist Magazine on 26th February 2022,” it said.
SSNIT stated that six of the nine companies that responded to the advertisements were then shortlisted and issued with Request for Proposal documents.
“The qualifying firms were invited for the opening of their financial proposals. Based on the technical and financial evaluation, the Rock City Hotel emerged as the best. 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 (4) hotels (Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Ridge Royal Hotel and Elmina Beach Resort),” SSNIT stated.
They indicated that the bids for Busua Beach Resort and Trust Lodge were deemed unsuccessful, so these hotels are no longer part of the process.
The Trust emphasized that the process is still ongoing.
SSNIT stated that it will refrain from commenting further until the pending investigation with CHRAJ is completed.
“SSNIT will cooperate fully with CHRAJ throughout its investigation process,” it added.
This is what the sharp teeth of the incompetent NDC propaganda fame did to Tarzan and Kuffour without any prosecutorial evidence and could not talk any law They are still doing it so they are damn addicted and drank in lies