Bryan's US$61m vs. Blay Jnr's US$200m - Ablakwa 'summons' SNNIT over Freddie Blay's interview

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu, has reacted to a recent interview by former New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman, Freddie Blay, regarding the process leading to the selection of a bid in the sale of majority shares of government in hotels owned by state pensions outfit, SSNIT.

In the said interview, Blay told Accra-based TV3 that his son together with a consortium of banks had offered between US$150 - US$200 million for SSNIT's stakes in a group of hotels.

Freddie Blay and his son have serially rejected allegations and accusations by Ablakwa that they were engaged in state capture relative to how they acquired a portion of the Labadi Beach Hotel beachfront.

In reacting to Blay's comments on the amount his son offered to SSNIT, Ablakwa pointed to public records that suggested that the eventual winner of the bid, Rock City Hotels Limited, valued the SSNIT properties at US$61 million.

Rock City belongs to Abetifi MP and Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

Ablakwa's post on social media (June 25) reads as follows: "Unending murkiness. We were told Bryan Acheampong offered the highest bid of US$61million; now former NPP Chairman, Freddie Blay also says his 34 year old son offered "150 to 200 million" for the SSNIT hotels.

"Another clear justification for my RTI Request for the tender evaluation report and minutes of tender committee meetings. State Capture shall surely be defeated!"

Ablakwa last week led a protest dubbed #HandOffOurHotelsDemo in Accra. After a march from the Labadi and La Palm Beach hotels, he presented a 15-point petition to the president demanding that the planned sale of the hotels be cancelled.

The Presidency has yet to formally respond to the petition. Ablakwa has also dragged the minister to CHRAJ on grounds of conflict of interest.

TWI NEWS

SARA

Unending murkiness.

We were told Bryan Acheampong offered the highest bid of US$61 million; now former NPP Chairman, Freddie Blay also says his 34-year-old son offered "150 to 200 million" for the SSNIT hotels.

Another clear justification for my RTI Request for the tender… pic.twitter.com/aMgT7Jw6fk

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) June 25, 2024