A National Security-supervised demolition has wiped out popular hangouts at La Pleasure Beach, leaving workers jobless and the area’s MP demanding answers.
Popular hangout spots along La Pleasure Beach in Accra are now heaps of rubble after a joint security operation pulled down structures in the area on Friday.
The exercise was supervised by National Security, and among the worst affected were Pera Beach and Polo Beach Club, both sited near the Labadi Beach Hotel. The Ghanaian Times reported that the demolition forms part of a wider, ongoing clearing of structures along the La beach stretch.
By the time the machines stopped, the area was covered in debris and broken buildings.
Occupants say the notice was too short
Authorities say occupants had been warned for weeks to move out before the operation began. People who worked at the affected spots disagree that the warning was enough.
Some told the paper that the time given was too short, and that goods and equipment worth thousands of Ghana cedis were destroyed in the process.
One worker, who described herself as a single mother, said: "We were given two weeks' notice to start packing, but we thought it was a joke."
That mix of short notice and disbelief appears to be why many traders and staff did not clear out in time.
MP confronts security personnel
The Member of Parliament for La Dade-Kotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, went to the scene and challenged the security personnel carrying out the work.
She said government was not aware that the demolition was taking place. The MP also expressed her unhappiness with the operation, pointing out that it has thrown many people out of work.
Her claim raises an obvious question that is yet to be answered publicly: who authorised the exercise, and under what instruction did National Security act? No response from National Security or any other state agency was contained in the report.
Why this matters
La Pleasure Beach is one of the best known public beaches in Accra and a regular stop for weekend crowds, event organisers, and returning Ghanaians from the diaspora. Beach bars and clubs in that stretch employ cooks, servers, security men, DJs and small traders, many of them from the surrounding La community.
For Ghanaians abroad who plan December trips around the Accra beach scene, the demolition changes what will be standing when they arrive. Pera Beach and Polo Beach Club have been fixtures on that list for years.
What to watch next
Three things are still open. First, whether National Security or the government will publicly explain the legal basis for the clearing. Second, whether affected operators will seek compensation or go to court. Third, how far along the beach the exercise will go, since the report describes it as ongoing.
NewsPulse GH will follow the story.
