Togbi Sri III
The actions of the various separatist groups to break away from Ghana, including the ancient Anlo kingdom to create the proposed Western Togoland State has been received with disgust by the overlord of the Anlo State.
The Awoamefia of Anlo, Togbi Sri III has issued a strong worded statement urging the government to deal with the separatists and their conspirators “without fear or favour.”
The statement issued by the Office of the Awoamezi and signed by the Awoamefia himself comes on the back of the recent violence perpetuated by separatist group Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF) with support and endorsement from the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) the mother body.
The separatist groups last Friday, September 25, 2020 in the cover of darkness about 1am illegally blocked the main entry points into the Volta region from the Greater Accra region at Tademe near Sogakofe in the South Tongu District and from Eastern Region at Juapong in the North Tongu District.
Amidst singing and chanting of war songs in Ewe, the group who were in black T-shirts with Western Togoland written on them also warned vehicles coming in and out of the Volta Region to return as their action had caused a huge traffic jam.
They also blocked the roads at Aveyime and Afife area in the North Tongu district to prevent reinforcements while they attacked the Aveyime and Mepe Police stations.
They took hostage of police personnel, freed inmates and stole 10 AK47 assault rifles while they ransacked the stations.
The South Tongu Divisional Commander, Chief Supt Dennis Fiakpui who moved with two others to intervene were also attacked with arms and vehicle seized.
He was shot alongside the officer driving, one L/Cpl Prosper Banini.
Reacting to this criminal development, the Awoamefia noted that “The Awoamefia of Anlo State Togbi Sri III, the Chiefs, Queens, Agbotaduawo and his entire administration condemn in no uncertain terms, recent disturbances on the Accra-Aflao and Accra-Ho roads by a certain group calling itself the people of Western Togoland.”
He further stated categorically that “the Anlo State, its Chiefs and people does not associate nor approve of the actions of such people and firmly disassociate itself from their subversive actions.”
To this end, the Awoamefia assured the government of the unflinching support of the entire Anlo state (which covers about six districts/municipalities and over 36 towns) for the unity and sanctity of the sovereign state of Ghana.
Togbi Sri III urged the authorities to deal with the perpetrators of “such heinous crime according to the laws of Ghana without fear or favour.”
Anlo Not Part Of Western Togoland
In a related development, the Agbotadua (Spokesperson) of the Awoamefia, Togbi Kumasa has stressed that the Anlo State, thus Keta, Anloga, Aflao, Ketu South, Ketu North, Akatsi North and South were not part of the then Trans Volta Togoland.
In fact, the Anlo State had been part of the then Gold Coast, a British Colony since 1874; many years before the others; from the Kpeve, Ho, Kando, Kpedze upwards joined Ghana after the May 9, 1956 plebiscite.
Hence it was erroneous and wrong for the separatists to include Anlo lands in the Western Togo land boundaries.
He therefore urged the separatists to desist from such misinformation and public deception.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)