An aide to the energy minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Kofi Abrefa Afena, has debunked news reports by a section of the Ghanaian media that his boss has been involved in a land dispute with “a businessman”.

According to Mr. Afena, at no point has the minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South Constituency in the Ashanti Region, personally claimed ownership of the said plot of land as contained in the media reports.

He also debunked reports that the minister had sent National Security operatives and land guards to visit mayhem on some innocent people on the land.

“These are fabricated fictions,” he said.

The aide made these denials in a statement issued on February 16, 2024

“No documentation in respect of the land in contention bears the name of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh. Yes, family members of the minister, per verifiable facts, are beneficiaries of the assignee of the land, but these are adults in their own rights with capacities to use legal means to make cases for themselves,” he said.

He further said that whilst Dr Prempeh is not involved in any land dispute, the land in issue, on the back of information he is privy to and, per any independent search at the Ghana Lands Commission, will point to a legal transfer of same to the administrators of the estate of the late Madam Stella Ababio.

Madam Ababio, according to Mr Afena, has been the assignee of the land since as far back as 1984.

“The administrators to the estate have since paid the necessary considerations and stamp duty according to the lands commission with records covering same duly updated,” he said.

He continued, “The record will show that the inspection by the Lands Commission of the land revealed that Madam Stella even has a building on it,” Mr Afena said, adding the “the businessman’s claim and allusion to a “noted proposal” in favour of a certain woman as the basis for the claim of ownership has no legs to stand on”.

Mr Afena refuted this by saying that it is trite knowledge that noted proposals do not confer interest to another party per basic land law.

He continued by saying, “These are matters that will, however, be determined by the courts”.

In Mr Afena’s view, the said businessman is unable to reveal himself to the Ghanaian people because of bad faith and his sinister agenda.

“We are aware of the nefarious activities of paid media hirelings of this so-called businessman to soil the image and reputation of Dr Prempeh because of reasons best known to them. These attempts are dead on arrival because the facts speak for themselves, and my boss has done nothing untoward,” he added.

“The Energy Minister at all times believes in upholding the rule of law in the determination of all matters and has not and does not intend to use violence in any matter in which he has a personal or allied interest,” Mr Afena concluded.