Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, expressed frustration, defending his hotel's involvement in a public bid amid pressing issues like soaring tomato prices.

He faced public scrutiny over conflict of interest claims regarding Rock City Hotel's bid to acquire a 60% stake in four state-owned hotels, owned by SSNIT.

A massive demonstration, led by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, protested SSNIT's decision to select Rock City Hotel as the preferred bidder.

The protest accused the Akufo-Addo administration of favoring politically connected individuals and party members in allocating state assets.

Ablakwa questioned Rock City Hotel's capability to win the bid, citing its reported losses of 1.7 million cedis against the profitable SSNIT Hotels.

In response, Bryan Acheampong dismissed the allegations as baseless distractions from addressing the pressing issue of rising food prices.

“The last thing I want to do is in the face of rising tomato prices, my voice is on the radio talking about hotels.

“I stayed away from it but when the young man was now moving into the realms of lies, and more lies and more lies, hoping that Ghanaians will believe him, then we have to stop him in his tracks,” he stated.

True to the minister’s difficulties; tomato prices have shot through the roof with four going for as high as twenty cedis in some markets.

Rock City Losses

Challenging documents Okudzeto Ablakwa purported to have intercepted from the Ghana Revenue Authority as proof of Rock City’s losses, Dr. Bryan Acheampong insisted that managers of Rock City Hotel were yet to file its 2023 annual return with the GRA.

He indicated that auditors Deloitte & Touche had not yet concluded the audit of the company’s accounts which he divulged would be filed before a June 30th deadline.

He described the North Tongu legislator’s over-concentration on interpreting the profits and losses of companies as ignorant insisting the prospects of businesses go beyond the mere face value of such accounts.

“If the sponsors of Rock City decide that they will put their money behind Rock City to acquire other interests, what does it mean? When you go into that realm, you are exposing yourself as someone who has not done business before?”

Conflict of Interest

Bryan Acheampong maintained that since assuming the role of Member of Parliament, he had avoided any involvement in profit-making positions within his private enterprises and abstained from seeking government contracts.

He asserted that allegations of conflict of interest lacked merit, pointing out that the bid was submitted in February 2022, prior to his appointment as a cabinet minister.

“I make sure I stay away, I am not a manager, I don’t occupy any office of profit, I know those lines and I walk them. I will not behave like that,” he noted.

Meanwhile, organized labour has sent a clear message to government to halt the planned sale of 60% of SSNIT’s interests in the four hotels – Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort and Ridge Royal Hotel.