Sale of SSNIT hotels: All the back and forth is driven by politics – Egyapa Mercer

Tourism Minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer says that the uproar over the sale of Social Security and National Insurance Trust’s (SSNIT) stake in some hotels is much ado about nothing.

The Member of Parliament for Sekondi added that this issue is purely political maneuvering against Agriculture Minister, Bryan Acheampong.

This follows the SSNIT decision to sell a 60% stake in four of its hotels to Rock City Hotel, owned by Mr Acheampong, who doubles as an NPP MP for Abetifi constituency.

In his view, this situation would likely prompt a call for a pension report in other jurisdictions.

North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who led a protest against the deal on Tuesday, June 18, already has a petition before the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) demanding a probe into the transaction.

The NDC MP stated that the protest aims to compel the president to prevent the sale of these hotels.

Speaking on JoyNews Newsfile, Mr Acheampong stated, “It has nothing to do with the interest of SSNIT or the pension fund holders. It has nothing to do with anything but the personality of Brain Acheampong who is acquiring that asset, who happens to be an NPP member, who has not breached any law either constitutional or otherwise. That is the only basis for all this noise”.

Mr Acheampong noted that there is no evidence proving that Brian Acheampong lacks the necessary certificate from the Speaker, as mandated by law, to approve the transaction.

He stated that under Chapter 24, Article 287 of the constitution, any claim that a public officer has not followed the provisions of that chapter, particularly concerning Article 98, should be brought to the Speaker for complaint.

“284 says a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest. Has Brain Acheampong put himself in any position relative to this transaction that his personal interest is conflicting with the performance of his public office? Is he the Minister of Finance? Is he on the board of SSNIT,” he noted.