Demolition Begins at La Pleasure Beach in Accra Amid Heavy Security
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A demolition exercise began at La Pleasure Beach in Accra on Friday, 2 October 2026, in a joint operation by the Ghana Armed Forces and police, following a land-ownership dispute with the facility's management.
A demolition exercise began at the La Pleasure Beach in Accra on Friday, 2 October 2026, amid a heavy security presence and a tense atmosphere as residents, workers and businesses tried to salvage their belongings.
The exercise is being carried out as a joint operation involving personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service. According to workers at the site, security personnel arrived at about 4:00 a.m. and ordered residents and workers to vacate the premises before the demolition started.
Several structures at the beach have been completely pulled down, while others have been partially demolished. Workers and residents were seen moving through the affected areas clearing rubble and attempting to recover their belongings, while security personnel prevented people from returning to sections already demolished. Some residents and workers who depend on the facility for their livelihoods were seen crying.
One worker, who spoke to JoyNews' Ramat Bashiru, said the demolition came unexpectedly, explaining that people were given only about 15 minutes to remove their belongings before the exercise began. He said they had received a verbal notice about two weeks earlier but did not expect the demolition to happen so soon.
The demolition follows weeks of controversy over the future of La Pleasure Beach. Management of the facility had previously rejected a directive to vacate the premises, arguing that there was an ongoing court dispute concerning ownership of the land.
The exercise was continuing as workers and businesses sought clarity on the operation and on what happens to their livelihoods next.