Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
The government has vowed to treat recent activities in the Volta Region as a criminal matter and not a political one.
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said at a news conference yesterday that activities of the group are being looked at from the perspective of the breach of the law and not from political lenses as some people have started doing.
He said the government would not spare those behind the roadblocks and violent activities and also confirmed that 31 people were arrested and airlifted to Accra last Friday.
He stated that efforts were underway to contain outstanding threats from the so-called group that claims to be forming Western Togoland to secede from Ghana.
He stated that the government is encouraged by the flurry of condemnation of the actions of the group by the Council of State, National House of Chiefs, among others.
More Groups
It appears the so-called agenda to ‘secede’ parts of Ghana to create a separate state called Western Togoland is not being championed by only a group.
There seems to be about three of them, namely the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), the Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF), which caused trouble last Friday, and the Western Togoland Assembly (WTA).
Although the three groups operate separately, they claim they have the same agenda to have parts of Ghana, namely Volta, Oti and North Eastern regions, seceded and form what they call Western Togoland.
The WTA, through one George Avortri, claiming to be the secretary who spoke on a Ho-based radio station, dissociated the group from the treasonable activities of the other two.
According to him, the WTRF, which is reported to have carried out the illegal activities, does not know the boundaries of Western Togoland.
He explained that per the history, Western Togoland or the then Trans Volta Togoland excludes the Anlo State, Tongus, Juapongs, Mafis and Pekis but said they are not in support of the ‘radical’ towards attaining ‘independence’.
The popular HSGF, whose leader is the octogenarian, Charles Komi Kudzodzi aka Papavi Hogbedetor, through a representative, who spoke on condition of anonymity on a Ho-based radio station, said the illegal blocking of roads, attack on police stations, kidnapping of police officers, among others, have nothing to do with them, but said they endorsed the illegality since groups were fighting a common cause of getting their own state.
The third group, WTRF, then claimed responsibility through a statement on social media. Portions of the statement read, “The state of Western Togoland has peaked the consolidation phase of its statehood.”
Referring to a flag hoisting ceremony, the statement further said, “The September 1, 2020 restoration to Western Togoland statehood, under the leadership of Togbe Yesu Kwabla Edudzi I, is being consolidated.”
Chiefs Condemnation
Some leading chiefs in the Volta Region, whose jurisdiction the groups are operating, have been issuing statements condemning the action and have called on the security agencies to deal with the miscreants accordingly.
The latest is the Awomefia of Anlo, Togbui Sri III, and Chiefs of Gbi-Hohoe.
The Awomefia said in a statement that “the Awomefia of Anlo State, Togbui Sri III, chiefs, queens, Agbotaduawo and his entire administration condemn in no uncertain terms the recent disturbances on the Accra-Aflao and Accra-Ho roads by a certain group calling itself the people of Western Togoland.”
It said, “I wish to state categorically that the Anlo State, its chiefs and people do not associate or approve of the actions of such people and firmly disassociate itself from their subversive actions,” adding “the Anlo State reaffirms its support for the unity and sanctity of the sovereign state of Ghana.”
Hohoe Chiefs
The chiefs and people of Gbi-Hohoe also dissociated themselves and condemned the activities of the group.
Togbe Adzimah V, Divisional Chief of Gbi-Abansi in the Hohoe Municipality addressing the media in Hohoe, said they detest any act of illegality and vandalism being perpetuated by the group.
“We wish to state unequivocally that we, the chiefs and people of Gbi-Hohoe, dissociate ourselves from this group and condemn in no uncertain terms their activities. We do not condone this act of illegality and vandalism perpetuated by the group,” he added.
Togbe Afede
Earlier, the National House of Chiefs had condemned the illegal activities of separatists, resulting in some skirmishes in parts of the Volta Region last Friday.
According to the President of the House, Togbe Afede XIV, whose area of authority was also affected by the activities of the ‘rebels’, “This is not something that any of us (chiefs) should condone,” adding “this is something that we (chiefs) should all support the government to ensure it is nipped in the bud.”
By Melvin Tarlue & Fred Duodu