A demolition exercise took place at La Pleasure Beach in Accra, with soldiers and police officers overseeing the pulling down of structures at the popular facility amid a tense atmosphere on the ground.
The joint operation involves personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service. Security teams arrived at the site at approximately 4:00 a.m. and ordered all residents and workers to clear the area before work began.
One worker at the facility, speaking to Joy News, described the operation as a shock. He said that although management had received a verbal notice roughly two weeks prior, no one anticipated the demolition would proceed so quickly. Within around 15 minutes of being told to leave, structures were already coming down.
Several buildings at the La Pleasure Beach have since been completely razed, while others have been partially brought down.
Workers and residents have been picking through rubble and debris, scrambling to recover whatever possessions they can.
The Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, confronted military personnel over the demolition of structures around the La Beach Resort, questioning why the La area was being targeted despite assurances from the government that the area would be spared.
Security personnel have been posted across the site, blocking access to sections where demolition has already taken place. While their presence has kept the exercise orderly, the mood at the scene is visibly strained, with some workers and residents in tears, particularly those who relied on the facility for their daily income.
The demolition follows a prolonged period of uncertainty surrounding La Pleasure Beach. In the weeks leading up to the exercise, facility management had refused to comply with earlier directives to vacate the premises, citing an unresolved court case over the ownership of the land. Despite that legal process reportedly still being active, the demolition proceeded on Wednesday morning.
Delali Adogla-Bessa (Head of Current Affairs and Politics Desk)
Source: YEN.com.gh
