Former New Patriotic Party chairman Freddie Blay told delegates at the NPP National Delegates Congress on Saturday, October 3, that President John Dramani Mahama personally ordered the demolition of his son’s Polo Beach Club in the La Beach enclave of Accra.
Blay said the demolition took place on Friday, October 2, during a security‑backed clearance operation involving the Ghana Armed Forces’ 48 Engineer Regiment and the Ghana Police Service. He claimed the president’s directive came despite an ongoing court dispute over the property that had not yet been resolved.
According to Blay, the court has been hearing the case for two to three years without a final determination. He rejected claims that the club was a squatter on hotel land, stating that his son had acquired the land from the La Stool and was operating a legitimate business on the site.
The operation was carried out under National Security supervision after a request from the Labadi Beach Hotel, which alleged unlawful occupation, encroachment and unauthorised activities on its beachfront. SSNIT, which holds investments in the hotel, also called for the intervention, citing concerns over security, sanitation and environmental damage.
Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Dogbe, denied that the clearance was part of a flood‑mitigation exercise, noting it was a response to the hotel’s request. The demolition also drew criticism from MP Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, who said she had been assured that structures around Labadi Beach would not be affected.
Blay’s allegation that President Mahama personally ordered the demolition has not been independently verified in the public accounts of the operation. The incident raises questions about the balance between executive authority and judicial processes in property disputes.
Observers will watch how the court’s decision on the Polo Beach Club case proceeds and whether any further action is taken against the parties involved.
