The Member of Parliament for Abetifi and Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, has fiercely refuted claims made by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, regarding alleged misconduct in the proposed acquisition of SSNIT’s hotel shares by Rock City Hotel Limited.
Dr. Acheampong, who owns Rock City Hotels Limited, addressed the accusations during an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show.
He described Mr. Ablakwa’s allegations as unfounded and damaging, asserting that they aim to undermine his reputation and that of his company.
“You are just putting things together and fomenting issues to drag and destroy me and Rock City. It is most unfair, it is ‘un-Ghanaian’ and you should stop it,” Dr. Acheampong stated.
These comments follow Mr. Ablakwa’s report to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), seeking to halt the sale of four SSNIT hotels to Rock City Hotel Limited. Mr. Ablakwa’s petition claims that negotiations to sell 60% of the shares are well advanced and requests an investigation into potential conflicts of interest, abuse of power, and other irregularities.
Mr. Ablakwa insists that Ghanaians are being short-changed in this transaction and plans to file a new petition with the Speaker of Parliament, alleging that Dr. Acheampong failed to obtain necessary permissions for engaging in a profit-making venture.
In response, Dr. Acheampong clarified his non-executive role at Rock City Hotel, emphasizing that he does not require clearance from the Speaker due to his pre-existing business activities before becoming a public official.
“If you have issues with a corporate entity, ask questions. I will never stop you, and nobody will stop you from asking questions, but in the tangent that you [Okudzeto Ablakwa] are going, it has nothing to do with that,” Dr. Acheampong asserted.
He remains confident that CHRAJ’s investigation will vindicate him, reiterating that the agreement between Rock City Hotels and SSNIT was beneficial to both parties.
Mr. Ablakwa, however, remains resolute, citing past transactions, such as Rock City Hotel’s purchase of a 25% stake in SSNIT’s Regency Hotel in Kumasi, to support his claims of impropriety.
The outcome of the CHRAJ investigation will be pivotal in determining the validity of these allegations and the future of the contentious hotel sale.
