The Agbawe family of La has rejected media reports that the Adentan Aviation land, covering an area in excess of 634 acres, has been handed over to government.

“We the people of Agbawe family of La wish to state unequivocally and unambiguously that the Adentan Aviation land, covering an area in excess of 634 acres, has not been handed over to government,” Mr Seth Nii Sowah Kpobi, son of Nii Adjei Kpobi Asaawa, who is the head of the Agbawe family, has said.

He expressed shock about a news item in an Accra daily titled “Family donates land to government.”

According to him, the report gives the impression that the Adentan Aviation land has been handed over to government by the Agbawe family of La after rituals were performed on Tuesday, July 1, 2014.

Mr Kpobi denied the claim that the legal suit brought against the State has been withdrawn and the family has opted for an out-of-court settlement.

“It is unfortunate the story was published without recourse to the true custodian of the said land,” he stated.

Mr Kpobi explained that George Sowah, who was portrayed as spokesperson of the Agbawe family of La, is the Okyeame to Nii Dobloo II, chief of Adentan, a sub-chief, and therefore cannot hold himself out as speaking for the Agbawe family.

He stated that for the avoidance of doubt, Nii Dobloo II is a sub-chief under Nii Kpobi Asaawa, chief and head of the Agbawe family, noting that it is therefore incongruous with the tradition of La for an Okyeame to hold himself out as the spokesperson of the Agbawe family.

He added that it is untrue that the family has been compensated after an out-of-court agreement was reached between the government and the family, saying this false claim seems to have generated some mistrust among some members of the family, and they wish to state emphatically that no member of the family has received any money as compensation from the government or any other interested party.

“We also want to clear the uncertainty about the ceremony held on Tuesday, 1st July, 2014. It is not a handing-over ceremony, which sees government taking over the land. Any of such activities would have had the blessings of Nii Kpobi Asaawa, the chief and head of the Agbawe family; the custodian of the land, as well as active participation of key government functionaries, including the Ministers of Transport, and Land, Forestry and Natural Resources,” he noted.

He entreated all to ignore the said publication, and urged developers to stay clear of the land as the matter was still in court awaiting adjudication.