La Dade-Kotopon MP protests Pleasure Beach demolition, says authorities were not informed

The Member of Parliament for La Dade-Kotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, has expressed strong opposition to a demolition exercise at the La Pleasure Beach area, saying local authorities and community leaders were not adequately informed about the operation. The MP, who confronted security personnel at the site, said the exercise was affecting people who depended on the area for their livelihoods and questioned why it was being carried out without proper engagement with the community. Speaking to the media during the exercise, Madam Sowah said the people of La were disappointed by what was happening at the beach.

“What is ongoing at the Labadi Beach, the people of La, as members of parliament, we are expressing our displeasure of what has happened,” she said. She said many people had built their livelihoods around the area and questioned why they should suddenly be displaced. “Because people are earning their livelihoods here.

And you cannot say, I mean, you just get up, ask a hotel, we have given you land to build a Labadi Beach Hotel, and now this is the reward of the people,” she said. According to the MP, the exercise was being led by the Labadi Beach Hotel and its board chairman, rather than the government. “It is the Labadi Beach Hotel with their board chairman who is leading this exercise.

Government has no knowledge, I will put it on record, government has no knowledge about this. It is the Labadi Beach Hotel and their board chairman leading the exercise,” she said. Madam Sowah said she had made enquiries after receiving information that a demolition exercise could take place, but was initially told that no such action was planned.

“I got information, I did my investigations, and they said they were not coming to demolish the place. They want to destroy the livelihood of the people,” she said. She questioned the reason for the demolition and expressed frustration over the impact on residents and traders.

Madam Sowah said she had taken steps to establish whether the demolition would take place and had contacted relevant authorities before the exercise. She said she was assured that the Labadi Beach Hotel would not be demolished. “I got to know the fact that they were going to carry out demolishing here.