An alleged coup plot and the criminal declaration of parts of Ghana independent of the country could be related in body and spirit. Claiming a correlation between the two cannot be outlandish under the circumstances, considering the emerging details and body language of the actors.
Both efforts are treasonable which in every jurisdiction should prompt security agents to pick up the actors for the necessary processes.
While the secessionists appear to have been treated somewhat lightly, the reason for which we are not in the know, the case of the alleged coup plotters is already on the bosom of the bench awaiting judicial treatment.
There is one thing both groups share: disenchantment with the political direction of Ghana for which they would rather there is a change in the status quo. The Western Togoland dreamers have already, as it were, ‘seceded’ severance which though sounds like a big joke is being headed by an octogenarian. It must not be dismissed as a big joke and, therefore, ignored.
The history of secessions across the world is bloody and strife-strained. The Odumegwu Ojukwu secession bid in Nigeria was followed by a bloody and costly civil war.
Stopping the so-called study group which is actually a political entity ready to do anything to actualize their project of a Western Togoland nation should be a priority for the national security apparatus. We do not doubt the efficiency of our national security apparatus but doubt their seriousness in dealing with the octogenarian, Charles Komi Kudzordzi, alias Papavi Hogbedetor, who has shown by his latest action that he did not learn any lesson from his brief detention by the security agents.
We have observed a level of kids’ glove treatment of the secessionist leader perhaps because of his seeming frailness or even his age. His passion for the severance of the Volta Region and other parts of the country from Ghana is unshakeable. This is the source of our worry.
If we were able to countenance his meetings we cannot do so for the declaration of independence which is a climax of the project, an outright daring of the state. When a visually-impaired person warns about his intention to throw a stone he might definitely have prepared himself with something for the offence.
We are surprised at the indifference of the security agents to the act of treasonable felony committed by the leader of the secessionists.
The danger in not arresting and charging him is that others may decide to tread on a similar tangent in future.
Ghana is a country of laws. Since nobody is above the laws, persons who infract on them should be arrested, investigated and brought before courts of competent jurisdiction.
An unacceptable precedence is being set with the silence over the declaration of independence by Papavi.
The declaration was done near the Police Training School in the Volta Region, a security installation, and in broad daylight.
The National Security Council should tell us whether or not the secessionists are going to be arrested and charged or just allowed to continue fooling around as if declaring independence is anything but a serious thing to do.