Friday’s Labadi Beachfront Demolition Was at Hotel’s Request, Not for Flood Mitigation – Stan Dogbe

• Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbe addressed public confusion over the Friday demolition of structures along the La beachfront
• Dogbe said the operation was carried out under National Security supervision at the request of the Labadi Beach Hotel, not the government task force
• The clearance included the Polo Beach Club and came amid controversy involving the La Dade-Kotopon MP and an ongoing land ownership dispute

Ghana's Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Dogbe, has stepped in to clear the air over Friday's demolition of structures along a section of the La beachfront near the Labadi Beach Hotel, stating that the exercise had nothing to do with the government's ongoing flood mitigation programme.

In a Facebook post, Dogbe explained that the National Flood Mitigation Task Force is currently active in areas including the Kpeshie Lagoon, East Legon Boundary Road, Oyarifa and behind Mayfair Estates, where it is supporting the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to reduce future flooding.

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Friday, October 2, 2026 beachfront clearance, he insisted, was an entirely different matter.

"Let's not get it twisted. Friday's action along a section of the beachfront was not a Flood Mitigation Action by the government task force," he wrote.

Labadi Beach Hotel behind the request

According to Dogbe, the demolition was conducted under National Security supervision at the direct request of the Labadi Beach Hotel.

The structures brought down, among them the Polo Beach Club, occupied beachfront land in front of the hotel.

Dogbe said the hotel argued these structures were harming its safety, reputation and overall visitor experience.

"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, are 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 said.

Personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service were involved in carrying out the operation.

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Dogbe also raised broader concerns about unregulated commercial activity along the beach, citing sanitation hazards and potential security risks posed by what he described as unauthorised operations.

He referenced drone footage of the area while questioning whether the hotel's decision to reclaim its beachfront was justified. He was also careful to note that the affected stretch of beach should not be confused with La Pleasure Beach.

The demolition has not gone without pushback.

La Dade-Kotopon MP Rita Naa Odoley Sowah publicly questioned the exercise, saying she had previously received assurances that structures in the Labadi Beach area would be spared.

Operators of the Polo Beach Club have also pursued legal action against the Labadi Beach Hotel and other parties over the contested ownership of the beachfront land.

Dogbe acknowledged that the hotel would be better placed to provide fuller details on the reasons behind its request, but his statement sought to firmly separate the operation from the government's flood relief work while framing the demolition around concerns of tourism management, sanitation and security.

The Facebook details below has Stan Dogbe's post.

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Polo Beach Club also demolished

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Polo Beach Club, a well-known entertainment venue situated near the Labadi Beach Resort in Accra, was demolished as part of a coordinated effort to clear structures along the La Beach coastline.

The clearance exercise involved a joint deployment of personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service, whose combined presence allowed the operation to proceed without significant disruption.

This demolition follows an earlier phase of the exercise in the same area, which encountered resistance from residents and owners of structures earmarked for removal.

Source: YEN.com.gh