La Beach demolition was a request by Labadi Beach Hotel, not government action – Stan Dogbe

Deputy Chief of Staff in Charge of Operations, Stan Dogbe has clarified that the demolishing exercise undertaken along the La Beach on Friday, October 2, 2026 was not government-led.

In a Facebook post, hours after several structures along the La beach including Polo Beach and La Pleasure Beach were pulled down, he clarified that the exercise is not part of the government’s flood mitigation efforts.

He not that it was separate from the work being undertaken by the government task force at areas including the Kpeshie Lagoon, East Legon Boundary Road and Oyarifa, among others, to support the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources in preventing future flooding.

“Friday’s action along a section of the beach front was not a Flood Mitigation Action by the government task force.

“The action has nothing to do with the work of the Taskforce along the Kpeshie lagoon, East Legon Boundary Road, Oyarifa, behind Mayfair Estates, etc, that are efforts towards supporting the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to mitigate any future floods,” he stated.

The exercise targeted structures, including the Polo Beach Club and other permanent structures, located on the beach in front of the hotel.

According to him, the demolition was at the behest of the management of Labadi Beach Hotel and conducted under the supervision of National Security.

Stan Dogbe explained that Management of the Hotel had raised concerns that the structures were affecting the safety and tranquillity of the facility, as well as the visitor experience and orderly management of the Labadi Beach Hotel.

“To understand Friday’s action, it was carried out under the supervision of the National Security at the request of the Labadi Beach Hotel.

“These are structures, some permanently built (Polo Beach Club and others) on the beach in front of the hotel, and which according to the business, is adversely affecting the safety, tranquillity and reputation of the Hotel, diminishing the visitor experience and undermining the orderly management of one of Ghana’s most important tourism destinations,” he added.

He said the hotel would be in a better position to provide details on the reasons behind its decision to reclaim its beachfront.

Dogbe, however, said there were broader sanitation and security concerns associated with what he described as unauthorised and unregulated commercial activities along the beachfront.

“While the hotel will be able to explain, in more detail, the necessity for its action to reclaim its beach front, we must all be concerned about the serious sanitation issues that these unauthorised and unregulated commercial operations cause, in addition to the security risks,” he said.

He added that he had seen drone footage and other videos of the area and questioned whether the hotel was justified in seeking to reclaim its beachfront.

“Is the Labadi Beach Hotel not right in reclaiming its beach front? (I am not talking about the La Pleasure Beach, please).” he asked.

Stan Dogbe’s comments come after the military undertook a demolition exercise at La Beach on Friday, with vendors and businesses in the area directed to vacate the premises.