Accra, October 2, 2026 – Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Dogbe, has clarified that the demolition of structures along a section of the La beachfront on Friday was carried out at the request of Labadi Beach Hotel and was not a government flood-mitigation exercise.
In a statement issued on Friday, Dogbe sought to separate the operation from ongoing post-flood clearance works being undertaken by the government task force at locations including the Kpeshie Lagoon, East Legon Boundary Road, Oyarifa and areas behind Mayfair Estates.
“Let’s not get it twisted. Friday’s action along a section of the beachfront was not a Flood Mitigation Action by the government task force,” he stated.
According to the Deputy Chief of Staff, the exercise was supervised by National Security following a formal request from Labadi Beach Hotel. He explained that certain structures some of them permanent buildings such as Polo Beach Club and others erected on the beach directly in front of the hotel had been affecting the safety, tranquillity and reputation of the facility.
Dogbe noted that these developments were diminishing the visitor experience and undermining the orderly management of one of Ghana’s most important tourism destinations.
The clarification comes after a joint team from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service moved into the La Pleasure Beach area in the early hours of Friday and began pulling down several structures. The operation also affected Polo Beach Club and other beachfront facilities near Labadi Beach Hotel.
The demolition had earlier drawn strong criticism from the Member of Parliament for La Dade-Kotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, who confronted security personnel at the site. She insisted that local authorities and community leaders had not been adequately informed and claimed the central government had no knowledge of the exercise. The MP alleged that the clearance was being driven by Labadi Beach Hotel and its Board Chairman, while also raising concerns about the impact on livelihoods in the area.
Dogbe’s statement effectively confirms the hotel’s role in initiating the request while placing the operation under National Security supervision rather than the broader flood-mitigation programme.
As of Friday evening, security personnel remained present at the cleared sections of the beachfront. Affected operators continued efforts to recover belongings from the debris amid ongoing debate over communication, land ownership and the balance between private commercial interests and local economic activity along Accra’s coastline.
Story by : Emmanuel Nettey
