A joint team of military and police personnel has begun demolishing commercial structures, vendors’ stalls and other businesses at La Pleasure Beach in Accra, triggering protests from the Member of Parliament (MP) for La Dadekotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah.
The operation began at about 4:00 a.m. on Friday, October 2, with security personnel moving into the beachfront resort to enforce the clearance.
Several structures have reportedly been pulled down, while workers and business operators have been attempting to salvage their belongings from the affected premises.
The exercise has created tension at the site, with Ms Sowah confronting security personnel over the demolition and questioning why the operation was proceeding despite what she said were assurances from government officials that the structures would be spared.
According to reports, the MP expressed concern about the short notice given to vendors to remove their belongings and the impact of the exercise on businesses and livelihoods.
She also alleged that military personnel were firing shots and wielding guns at people at the scene, raising concerns about the manner in which the operation was being conducted.
Ms Sowah further claimed that the central government was unaware of the exercise and accused the board chairman of the neighbouring Labadi Beach Hotel of being behind the demolition amid a dispute over land boundaries. The allegations had not been independently established at the time of reporting.
Management of the facility had previously resisted a directive to vacate the premises, citing an ongoing court case concerning ownership of the land.
The District Chief Executive for the area also reportedly joined the MP at the scene as tensions rose between local representatives and security personnel.
The operation is being carried out by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces’ 48 Engineer Regiment, supported by the Ghana Police Service, according to media reports.
Follows recent demolition at Laboma Beach
The demolition at La Pleasure Beach comes less than three weeks after a similar exercise at Laboma Beach in the La Dade-Kotopon Municipality, where military and police personnel pulled down several beachfront establishments, including the popular Pink Flamingo Lounge.
The Laboma operation began on September 13, 2026, under the government’s Post-Flood Mitigation Task Force as part of efforts to restore the Kpeshie Lagoon and address flooding in Greater Accra.
According to the Information Services Department, the exercise followed a directive issued by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council on August 6, giving occupants within the affected lagoon buffer zone 21 days to vacate.
Authorities said the demolished structures occupied portions of the lagoon’s former water-retention area that had been reclaimed through the clearing of vegetation and the filling of wetlands with sand, rocks and other materials.
The government maintained that the operation was intended to restore natural drainage and reduce flood risks following severe flooding in parts of the country.
However, the Laboma exercise also attracted criticism from affected businesses. Management of Laboma Beach Resort questioned the necessity and manner of the demolition, while board director Daniel M.K. Okpoti alleged that authorities had extended the exercise beyond the agreed boundary.
