The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has intimated that it is erroneous to raise conflict of interest issues in the sale of a 60 percent stake in four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel, owned by Food and Agriculture Minister, Bryan Acheampong.
Ahiagbah contends that the offloading of SSNIT’s interests in the four hotels started in 2018, five years before Bryan Acheampong became a cabinet minister.
The NPP’s Director of Communications questioned why concerns were not raised about the procurement processes in 2018 but such concerns are only being raised now that the Abetifi lawmaker has become a cabinet minister.
“The question of conflict of interest for me does not arise because the process to offload SSNIT’s interests in these hotels started in 2018, 5 years before Hon. Bryan Acheampong became the Minister for Food and Agriculture. Again, the question must be asked: Had SSNIT terminated the procurement process to divest its shares to Rock City between 2019 and 2023 before Bryan Acheampong became a minister, would there have been any concerns or issues of conflict of interest?
“If there would not have been a conflict of interest concerns had Rock City bought SSNIT’s share before Bryan Acheampong became a minister, why is it a concern now?”
Ahiagbah also slammed the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on his X handle for organising the ‘Hands off our Hotels’ demonstration to compel President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to halt the transaction.
“He insists the demonstration lacks evidence to the effect that Rock City did not win the bid competitively or that other bidders submitted superior bids compared to Rock City.”
The SSNIT Hotel Transaction, a potential threat to the independence of a state institution, is a matter of grave concern…
The right for citizens to demonstrate is a core democratic right. However, I expected Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa to have waited for the conclusion of the…
— Richard Ahiagbah (@RAahiagbah) June 18, 2024
“I am open to joining any demonstration that provides concrete evidence that the bidding process, initiated in 2018 before Bryan Acheampong assumed his ministerial role, was biased in favour of Rock City. Or a demonstration that proves that Rock City did not win the bid competitively or that other bidders submitted superior bids compared to Rock City.”
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