The Member of Parliament for Mpraeso Constituency and the Deputy Ranking Member, Public Account Committee of Parliament, Honorable Davis Ansah Opoku, has labelled the allegations by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa against Rock City Hotel as untrue
The ruling New Patriotic Party legislator, in a vehement defence of the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan Achemapong, asserted that the claims made by Honorable Ablakwa are a calculated attempt to tarnish the reputation of Ghana’s largest hotel, Rock City.
“The wicked allegations by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa against Rock City are baseless and misleading, carefully brewed to court hatred for the biggest hotel in Ghana. I am tempted to believe this whole agenda is driven by external forces that feel that Ghanaians cannot manage something big as Rock City”.
Davis Ansah Opoku, Member of Parliament for Mpraeso Constituency
Competitive Bidding Process
The member of the Majority Caucus in Parliament further dismissed what he described as Honorable Ablakwa’s accusations that Rock City did not undergo a competitive bidding process for acquiring SSNIT hotels.
He emphasised that Rock City’s acquisition resulted from a meticulously conducted International Competitive Tendering (ICT) process.
This process, he noted was conducted in compliance with the country’s Public Procurement Act 2003 (ACT 663) as amended by ACT 914, adding that the process was so thorough that it leaves no room for doubt about the legitimacy of the acquisition.
He thus, asserted that any claims suggesting Rock City Hotel’s non-compliance with competitive bidding processes are unfounded and only serve to mislead the public.
“SSNIT published notices in the Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, and The Economist, inviting expressions of interest. Rock City participated in this process, submitted a comprehensive bid, and was selected as the most suitable partner based on a thorough evaluation of its technical and financial proposals. Claims of non-compliance with competitive bidding processes are therefore unfounded and serve only to mislead the public”.
Davis Ansah Opoku, Member of Parliament for Mpraeso Constituency
SSNIT Hotels’ Financial Challenges
Furthermore, Honorable Davis Ansah Opoku elaborated on the financial difficulties faced by SSNIT’s portfolio of hotels, which according to him includes notable names such as La Palm Royal Beach Resort and Elmina Beach Resort.
He posited that these hotels have historically struggled to generate profits or pay dividends to pensioners, pointing out that SSNIT has repeatedly had to cover operational expenses, including electricity bills and staff salaries, further straining its resources.
According to the Mpraeso Member of Parliament, the only exception is the Labadi Beach Hotel, which he noted has managed some profitability, adding that its total dividend payment over 15 years amounts to a mere GHC 48 million.
Rock City’s Financial Status and Vision
Addressing the North Tongu Member of Parliament, Honorable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s allegations about Rock City’s financial losses, the ruling New Patriotic Party legislator stated that Honorable Ablakwa’s claims are misrepresentations of the fact.
He clarified that the Rock City hotel is still in its construction phase, particularly its ambitious Kwahu branch which aims to house over 3000 rooms.
Honourable Opoku Ansah therefore noted that given the hotel’s current developmental stage, it is unreasonable to expect immediate profitability.
In addition, Honorable Davis Ansah Opoku emphasized that Rock City and its shareholders are driven by a strong determination to expand their presence across all regions, a vision that justifies their current financial situation and should be a source of inspiration.
Honourable Ansah-Opoku also pointed out that Rock City has yet to file its taxes for 2023, questioning the validity of Honorable Ablakwa’s claims.
He challenged the opposition National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament, Honorable Ablakwa to provide the sources of his information, accusing him of fabricating lies to deceive the public.
The Member of Parliament for Mpraeso Constituency concluded his statement by highlighting the legitimacy and transparency of Rock City Hotels’ acquisition of SSNIT hotels linking it to the broader challenges facing SSNIT’s hotel portfolio.
He called for a cessation of unfounded accusations that only serve to mislead the public and undermine the achievements of Ghanaian enterprises.
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