La Pleasure Beach demolition: Committee to determine compensation for affected businesses, properties

A committee will be formed by early next week to determine the appropriate compensation for businesses and property owners affected by the recent demolition of facilities at La Pleasure Beach in Accra.

The committee will comprise representatives of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA), traditional authorities, management of the affected beaches and the Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Naa Odoley Sowah.

Naa Odoley Sowah, who is also the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, disclosed the arrangement when she appeared before Parliament’s Committee on Local Government and Decentralisation on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

She said authorities had already collected data on people whose businesses and properties were affected by the demolition, which would form the basis for determining the appropriate support or compensation.

However, she said the exact form and amount of compensation had not yet been decided, explaining that the matter would be considered by the committee before a final determination was made.

"We have gotten their data and the committee is going to look at what we are going to give to them as compensation. So those affected will be compensated and the decision for the type of compensation has not been finalised but as the MP I am following up deeply on that to ensure that everybody gets what they are supposed to get," she said.

The MP made the disclosure when the committee engaged officials of the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly over the demolition of beach facilities and related flood mitigation activities in parts of the Greater Accra Region.

Naa Odoley Sowah said the committee would assess the circumstances of affected persons, including those who might need to be relocated and others who could require financial compensation.

She also clarified that the demolition at La Pleasure Beach was being treated separately from the exercise at Laboma, indicating that the latter would be addressed under a different arrangement.

"Laboma Beach demolishing is a different issue but subsequently Laboma concerns will come up," she said.

Laboma demolition

Giving an account of the demolition at Laboma, the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly Chief Executive, Alfredos Nii Anyetei, said the exercise formed part of efforts to tackle flooding and restore an ecological site.

Mr Anyetei told the committee that the assembly had not been consulted before the exercise was undertaken, although officials were later shown the areas where the demolition was expected to take place during a meeting.

He also said he was unaware that the Member of Parliament had been specifically informed ahead of the exercise.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr, said the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly had both the legal mandate and technical personnel required to monitor development and protect waterways within its jurisdiction.

She therefore urged the assembly to strengthen enforcement to prevent individuals from refilling areas that had been dredged or cleared as part of efforts to improve drainage.

Mrs Sawyerr acknowledged that central government agencies could intervene in emergency situations but stressed that metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies must take responsibility for developments within their respective jurisdictions.

She further urged the MP and the assembly to ensure that the concerns of people affected by the demolitions were adequately addressed.

"We will follow up on the outcome of the committee's work," she assured.