The government is preparing to establish a committee to determine compensation arrangements for people affected by the demolition of structures at La Pleasure Beach in Accra.
The Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon and Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, disclosed the development when she appeared before Parliament’s Local Government and Rural Development Committee.
She said authorities had completed the compilation of information concerning the people affected by the demolition, paving the way for the establishment of a committee to assess the appropriate compensation arrangements.
According to the deputy minister, the committee is expected to be constituted by early next week and will subsequently begin deliberations on the nature and scale of compensation to be provided.
She explained that although the exact form of compensation had not yet been determined, she was personally following the process to ensure that affected persons received what they were entitled to.
The planned compensation process follows the demolition of several structures along the La Beach area of Accra, including facilities associated with La Pleasure Beach and the Polo Beach Club near the Labadi Beach Hotel.
Personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, with support from the Ghana Police Service, supervised the demolition operation.
Vendors and businesses operating within the affected area were instructed to vacate the premises as the authorities proceeded with the clearance exercise.
The demolition generated concern among affected operators and residents, particularly over the circumstances surrounding the exercise and the implications for people whose livelihoods depended on activities at the site.
The National Democratic Congress branch in the La Dadekotopon Constituency also expressed concern about the development and said it had been surprised by the demolition.
The constituency indicated that preliminary consultations had suggested that the area was not included in any demolition exercise planned by the Labadi Beach Hotel.
The government’s decision to establish a compensation committee is therefore expected to provide a formal mechanism through which the circumstances of affected individuals can be assessed and appropriate relief considered.
Ms Sowah said she would continue to monitor the process closely and ensure that Parliament’s committee was updated on the outcome of the deliberations.
The committee’s work is expected to determine the categories of persons eligible for compensation and the form that the eventual support will take.
