The Government of Ghana has asked Ghanaians to disregard claims by Homeland Study Group Foundation’s (HSGF) supposed declaration of ‘Western Togoland’ as an independent state.
A statement signed and posted on Facebook by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, gave the assurance that security agencies are taking the necessary measures to ensure all persons involved with the Homeland Study foundation’s planned secession from Ghana are made to face the law.
The statement further said Ghana remains a sovereign state which has not ceded any parts of the country for whatever reasons.
“The Government of Ghana takes note of the activities of a group known as the Homeland Study Foundation, purporting to declare secession from Ghana.”
“Ghana remains a sovereign state which has not ceded any part of its territory to any person or group of persons.”
The Statement from the Government also called on the general public to disregard the secession claims by the group adding that Ghana’s security agencies remain firmly in charge of Ghana’s territory.
“While admonishing the public to disregard the claims by the group, the general public is hereby informed that state security agencies are taking the necessary measures to ensure that persons involved with the illegal act, are dealt with in accordance with the law.”
“Ghana’s security agencies remain in firm charge of Ghana’s territory and encourage all persons to continue with their daily activities normally.”
Over the weekend the leaders of the Homeland Study Group Foundation, campaigning for the secession of some parts of Ghana into an independent ’Western Togoland State’ declared their independence.
Leader of the Separatist movement, Charles Komi Kudzordzi alias Papavi Hogbedetor who is in his 80s made the declaration at a public gathering in Ho on Saturday, November 16, 2019.
Addressing a cheerful group of members of the separatist movement in the native Ewe language, Papavi Hogbedetor recounted their struggles to restore the independence of the pre-independence Western Togoland territory, a German protectorate which was joined to the then Gold Coast to form the new independent country, Ghana on March 6, 1957, under circumstances he believes were ”illegal”.
Background
About 81 members of the separatist group were in May 2019, arrested for assembling for a protest over the arrest of seven leaders of the Homeland Study Group Foundation.
They were subsequently granted bail.
AG drops charges against Western Togoland secessionists
Also, the Attorney General in July 2019, withdrew all charges brought against the members of Homeland Study Group Foundation who were working for the secession of the Volta Region from Ghana.
Appearing before the court presided over by three judges, Winnifred Sarpong, a senior State Attorney told the court that they have been instructed to withdraw the case against the nine.
The accused persons were facing charges of treason, abetment of unlawful assembly and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.
The accused persons at the time were Bisa Akorli, 54, Kofi Dzereke, 39, Thompson Tsigbe, 58, Benjamin Agbadzada, 48, Agbenyega Akudzi, 54, Freemen Blikaku, 36, Nkpe Tsryiri Kudzo aged 61 and Sergeant Samuel Kwabla Kpogli.
They were arrested by a combined team of police and military personnel at Ho on Sunday, May 5 when they were holding a meeting to allegedly to arrange to declare a Western Togoland as an independent state on May 9, 20I9.
According to the police, the group had created a constitution and an anthem for the supposed independence declaration.
The police also claimed that the group leaders were training some youth in “militia-style” to form the core of police and military activities in the supposed new country, the Western Togoland after the declaration of independence.
Portions of this article was culled from CNR
