SSNIT to provide space, jobs for displaced La beach traders before Christmas

The Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Kwasi Afreh Biney has said his outfit was going to document traders displaced by the demolition of structures along the Labadi beachfront and work to provide some of them with space at a planned African market before this year’s Christmas.

According to him, a committee had been established to gather information on those affected, including hotel employees and independent traders, to determine how they could be supported.

Mr Afreh Biney said this while speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, [October 10, 2026].

He said the exercise would help SSNIT identify those who had lost their livelihoods and explore ways to reintegrate them into planned developments along the beachfront.

“We set up a committee to work together amongst the matters to be addressed by the committee,” he said.

“How do we settle especially some of our young folks who had opportunity to work there whether as employees or entrepreneurs.”

Mr Afreh Biney said the two SSNIT-owned hotels, Labadi Beach and La Palm Royal Beach, would consider some of the affected employees for employment as new development plans were implemented.

For traders and small business operators, he said the revised beachfront plan made provision for an African market to sell Ghanaian and other African foods and artefacts.

“In the new design that the team is reviewing right now, we’ve made provision for an African market for African and Ghanaian food for artifacts,” he said.

He said work to clear debris, restore the entrance and provide washrooms and other facilities would be expedited to allow operators to resume business before Christmas. A new Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) centre is also planned for the nearby La Trade Fair site in the coming weeks.

The announcement follows a statement by the Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon and Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mrs Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, that a committee would be established to determine appropriate compensation for people whose businesses and property were affected by the demolition.