The President of the Ave Council of Chiefs, Togbe Nyamekor Glakpe V, has advised government and proponents of the creation of the Oti Region out of the Volta Region to organise a familiarisation tour of the area for those who have been opposing the move.
According to him, a good tour of the area would convince the people opposing the creation of Oti to have a change of mind and fully support the decision.
He explained that most of the people who are against the Oti Region, including a good number of chiefs in the southern part of the region, have neither lived in the area nor experienced the hardships the people in the area are going through hence their strong opposition.
The chief said the ignorance of the situation pertaining in the northern part of the region is what is making some people in the south including chiefs create such erroneous impression that all chiefs in the southern part are against the creation of the new region.
Togbe Glakpe V who is also the paramount chief of Ave-Dakpa made this known in an interview with DAILY GUIDE when he was clarifying issues concerning a press statement issued by the Ave Council of Chiefs.
The statement which was signed by Togbe Nyamekor Glakpe V on behalf of all the six paramountcies that make up the Ave Council of Chiefs (Ave-Dakpa, Ave-Dzalele, Ave-Dzadzefe, Ave-Havi, Ave-Afiadenyigba and Tagba) dispelled the impression that all chiefs in the southern part of the Volta Region were against the creation of the proposed Oti Region.
According to them, they see nothing wrong with the creation and hence fully support it because it will bring development to the people.
Togbe Glakpe wondered why some people in the south were opposing the creation of the region, asking “if it were the chiefs and people in the south who wanted the region created, would they be happy if those in the north opposed it?”, adding, “they should do unto others what they want others to do for them.”
He recounted how the creation of the Akatsi North District which comprises the Ave people has brought government closer to them and how it has led to the opening of new opportunities and projects.
To this end, just as the Oti people did not oppose the creation of Akatsi North District, no one should oppose the creation of Oti.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)