Heavy security and emotional scenes have marked the demolition of structures at La Pleasure Beach in Accra, where military personnel have begun an operation to clear the facility amid tension and distress among affected workers and residents.
The demolition exercise began in the early hours of Friday, October 2, 2026, with personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, alongside the Ghana Police Service, deployed to supervise the operation.
According to workers at the facility, security personnel arrived at about 4:00 a.m. and ordered vendors, residents and businesses operating within the resort to vacate the premises to allow the exercise to proceed.
Several structures have since been completely pulled down, while others have been partially demolished, leaving workers and residents scrambling to salvage their belongings.
Emotional scenes were witnessed at the site, with some affected workers and residents breaking down in tears as they watched structures that had supported their livelihoods being reduced to rubble.
Workers were seen moving through the affected areas, clearing debris and attempting to retrieve their belongings from buildings that had already been demolished, while security personnel prevented people from returning to sections where the exercise had taken place.
A worker who spoke to Accra-based Joy News said the demolition came unexpectedly, despite an earlier verbal notice about two weeks ago.
He said security personnel arrived at about 4:00 a.m. and gave them approximately 15 minutes to remove their belongings before the demolition began.
The operation has been conducted under heavy security, with soldiers and police officers deployed across the facility to maintain order and oversee the exercise.
Despite the significant security presence, the atmosphere at the site remains tense, with affected workers and residents expressing distress over the destruction of structures and the uncertainty surrounding their livelihoods.
The demolition comes after weeks of controversy over the ownership and future of the La Pleasure Beach.
Management of the facility had previously resisted a directive to vacate the premises, citing an ongoing court dispute over ownership of the land.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
