La Beach: It's sad that this very significant enclave has been demolished so wantonly

In relarion to the demolition of the La Beach, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said that it's sad that this very significant enclave has been demolished so wantonly.

He said it is particularly painful and surprising that even movable assets which the owners could have removed easily were destroyed in a most bizarre fashion.

In a statement reacting to the demolition of the La Beach, Dr Bawumia said that the La Beach is socially, economically, culturally and internationally significant.

It has evolved by itself to become the most vibrant beach resort in Ghana, he said.

He added that it is a source of livelihood for thousands of people especially the youth and it is extremely important to the nation at large and the people of La specifically.

"Indeed it has been the hub of many international functions and shows" he said in the statement

During the NPP government's tenure, Dr Bawumia said, it was one of the key places which supported the successful year of return and related activities which put Ghana on the map.

"It's sad that this very significant enclave has been demolished so wantonly. It is particularly painful and surprising that even movable assets which the owners could have removed easily were destroyed in a most bizarre fashion."

He added "I am convinced that we must make La beach a major tourist and economic enclave and I pledge my commitment to the people of La especially the businesses at la beach to make that happen."

He assured that the NPP, will "will rebuild the beach economy and issue leases to each business. We will redesign the space to meet standards and assist the operators to run it ; we will secure the space for labadi beach hotel and others and allow them to coexist with smaller businesses who together create the beach ecosystem; we will engage the owners of LABOMA beach and resolve their issues and work with them to establish their business and make them compliant with law; we will also work on the lagoon and resolve issues related to flooding and the environment."

He further expressed his commitment "to save the thousands of jobs that beach economy supports and to improve them."

Meanwhile, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has justified the removal of unauthorised occupants from the beachfront adjoining the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, saying the action was necessary to protect workers' investments.

In a Media Release dated October 2, 2026, SSNIT said it sought "the urgent intervention of the National Security Council Secretariat to address the persistent unlawful occupation, encroachment, and unauthorised activities on the beachfront adjoining and directly in front of the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel."

According to SSNIT, the two hotels are part of its investment portfolio and are "significant national hospitality and tourism assets."

The Trust stressed that, "SSNIT therefore has a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard these investments, preserve their value and ensure that they continue to generate sustainable returns for the benefit of contributors and pensioners under the Basic National Social Security Scheme."

"These assets belong to the workers and pensioners of Ghana."

SSNIT listed eight major risks posed by the encroachment, including threats to safety and security of guests and staff, unauthorised access to sensitive operational areas, fire and public-health hazards, deterioration of beachfront privacy and service standards, degradation of the coastal ecosystem, reputational damage to Ghana's tourism industry, disruption of hotel operations affecting revenue, and the risk of further expansion making recovery more difficult.

"In view of the foregoing, SSNIT requested support from National Security to protect the assets belonging to Ghanaian workers," the statement said.

The Trust added that "The beaches will be cleaned and restored to a safe and desirable state and will remain open to the public."

The Labadi Beach Hotel (a 5-star facility) and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel are among SSNIT's most visible hospitality investments, held to generate returns for over 2 million contributors to the SSNIT Scheme.

In recent years, the Labadi beachfront has seen growing encroachment by temporary structures, traders and alleged land guards, leading to complaints from hoteliers and tourists about security, sanitation and loss of private beach experience.

Thursday's operation, led by National Security operatives, saw the demolition of several makeshift structures on the beach stretch in front of the two hotels. The move has been met with mixed reactions on social media, with some supporting SSNIT's asset protection drive and others raising concerns about livelihoods.

SSNIT says the operation is not a closure of the beach to the public, but a restoration exercise.