Tag: Western Togoland

Western Togoland separatists have ordered the immediate exit of all Ghanaian security forces from the Volta Region.

This follows their simultaneous attack on the Aveyime and Mepe Police Stations in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region.

They forcibly took over both stations, overpowered the police officers, broke into the armoury, and made away with all the weapons. 

Currently, all roads leading to and from the Volta Region have been blocked leading to about 3 km of traffic.

In a press statement declaring their secession from Ghana, the Western Togolanders say the road blocks will remain on the roads till “Ghana agrees to come to the negotiation table, with expected UNO  facilitation.”

“All political activities within the new State are banned with immediate effect. Certain Radio stations are temporarily designated Western Togoland(WTL) State Radios till further notice, and all Media Houses within WTL are to focus their programming predominantly on WTL issues until further notice,” they added.

Whereas, all Ghanaian security forces are ordered out of the Western Togoland within 24 hours “and MUST NOT to take any weapons or ammunitions along with them”, Ghana police personnel within the captured area are ordered to remain indoors till further notice or surrender peacefully to the Western Togoland Security forces.  

They further ordered for the immediate release of all detained Western Togoland independence struggle and an immediate termination of all related court proceedings.

Source: myjoyonline.com

Members of the Volta separatist, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) on Friday dawn blocked some roads in the Volta Region of Ghana.

The police in a message on social media urged commuters to and from Accra to Ho, Aveyime, Adidome, Mepe, Akuse, Sogakope and Aflao to exercise caution as they were likely to experience traffic due to security operations within those areas.

“Anybody travelling on any of these roads should exercise caution,” the police message said.

The HSGF, a group championing the secession of parts of Ghana along the border with Togo, declared independence for the territory they call ‘Western Togoland’ on November 16, 2019.

Their action of blocking the roads on Friday morning, they said were part of their agitations for independence from Ghana.

At Tefle and Juapong, the group amidst the burning of vehicle tyres and chanting of war songs took over the road and prevented vehicles from moving across.

Their action, which was simultaneously replicated in other parts started the action at dawn.

Travelers on the Accra-Sogakope road for instance were not able to move and were stranded.

The situation created traffic at both areas of the roads.

In one of the areas at Aveyime, some three police officers were reportedly detained by the separatist group and two of them were reportedly injured.

One member of the separatist group in a radio interview with Accra based Joy FM said “by God’s grace we have three of them [policemen] in our custody. I may say two of them are injured, one is alright. 

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa in a radio interview with Accra based Joy FM said he was coordinating the activities of the security personnel and that the situation would be brought under control.

He urged those stuck in traffic to exercise some patience as the security personnel will soon bring the situation under control and clear the roads for the traffic to flow.

One eyewitness in a radio interview on Accra based Citi FM said in the Juapong area, thousands of cement blocks were put on the road and the first vehicles that chanced on the blockage, the mobile phones of those who were on board the vehicles were seized from them to prevent them from calling the security agencies.

Subsequently, all other vehicles that followed couldn’t get close to the exact spot of the blockade.

The eyewitness said around 5:30am, the police and the army officers came around to rescue the situation and when they came there, the separatist group were in the bush.

Around 6am, they reportedly emerged from the bush and walked away. The eyewitness said they were young boys aged between 15 and 18 and one elderly person who was about 45 years.

As of 7am, the Tema-Akosombo road had been cleared between Kpong and Atimpoku according to the eyewitness.

He said the separatist members hoisted their flags and inscriptions some of which read, “we are taking over our land” in the area.

At Sogakope, some stranded passengers said they heard gunshots and were scared to go near the separatist group.

Source: graphic.com.gh

President of the Concerned Citizens of Western Togoland Daniel Yevuga has reiterated that no amount of arrest of their members will prevent them from demanding their independence.

He said the issue needs to be addressed hence the authorities of Ghana should sit unconcerned.

He indicated that about 90% of their members have now realised where they come from and want their independence declared.

Daniel Yevuga said citizens of the Western Togoland are wondering why the state always withdraw from their cases when members are arrested and brought before a court.The separatists says they won’t give on their demand for independence

It can be recalled that the people of Western Togoland have put a petition to claim their independence.

According to him, they will pursue their mission until they get to their target of gaining their freedom.

Yevuga noted several groups have emerged demanding for the same thing and no amount of intimidation and arrest will stop them.

He claims the fundamental human rights have always been abused but they have come to the point of no return in becoming a state on its own.

Source: rainbownradioonline.com

The 66 Artillery Regiment (Volta Barracks) Saturday arrested 13 persons suspected to be linked to separatists-Homeland Study Group Foundation.

The 13 persons, eleven males and two females were picked at a meeting at Kpando-Aziavi in the Volta region.

Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Baba Pantoah, Commanding Officer of the 66 Artillery Regiment told the Ghana News Agency that the operation, which had support from officials of the Bureau of National Investigations was between 0850 hours and 1300 hours.

He said security personnel seized a document from the group detailing areas they allegedly planned to attack soon.

The Commanding Officer said the 13 persons were escorted to the Regional Police Headquarters for further investigations.

In February this year, the Regiment rounded up 21 persons at a secret training camp allegedly operated by the secessionist’s group at Kpevedui in the Ketu North Municipality.

The ‘recruits’, made up of 20 males and a female were busted in a dawn raid and airlifted to Accra for further investigations.

Source: GNA

Head of Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies, Dr. Ishmael Norman is warning government over the emergence of more sophisticated secessionist groups.

His warning is in reaction to the arrest made by the 66 Artillery Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces of some twenty people described as rebels in the Volta Region town of Dzodze. The twenty are believed to be part of the Homeland Study Group Foundation.

Speaking to Joy FM, Dr. Ishmael Norman noted that the arrest will further validate their actions leading to the formation of more and sophisticated groupings.

“When you arrest a group of them, they become more validated. And because of that, the government must get ready for a much bigger, organised, sophisticated group. They are like that at the initial stages.”

“What bothers me is that because of the economic effect that they bring to a community, for the community to be this quiet all this while without reporting on them is worrying,” Dr. Ishmael said.

Arrest

The Ghana Armed Forces said they have arrested twenty people they describe as rebels in the Volta Region town of Dzodze.

The twenty are believed to be part of the Homeland Study Group Foundation.

The group has been demanding separation from the Volta Region and parts of the Northern Region, North East and Upper East Region as well and they have been working on this for some time.

In November last year, they announced separation from Ghana through social media. They were arrested in December last year and that included the leader of the group who is above 80 years Charles Komi Kudzordzi.

Ten others were arrested in the Upper West Region but the charges against them were dropped by the Attorney General’s office subsequently.

Reports indicate that Mr. Charles Komi Kudzordzi, has been on the run ever since the charges were dropped against him last year, but he does some Youtube videos from time to time.

Pictures emerged last year of some uniformed group supposedly been trained at a place called the Western Togoland training grounds in the Volta Region.

Some twenty people believed to be part of the group were arrested, they were made up of nineteen males and one female.

 

Source: primenewsghana.com

The 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho has evacuated some 21 persons including a lady believed to be receiving military training from a secessionists group – Homeland Study Group Foundation, in thickets of Kpevedue and Fievue, a twin community on the Ghana-Togo border in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region.

The ‘recruits’ were rounded up in a dawn operation by the military following weeks of surveillance.

Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Baba Pantoah, Commanding Officer, 66 Artillery Regiment, told the media they picked intelligence of illegal military training camp in the thickets and launched operation at dawn with over 40 military officers and men and two crime scene investigators from the Police Service.

He said during the operation, five of the ‘recruits’ including their instructors escaped but one was arrested later.

The Commanding Officer said the operations were not over and that they were on the heels of the secessionists and working hard to flush them out.

The Ghana News Agency was told the ‘recruits’ between 19 and 30 years were told they were being trained for the Ghana Army and made to submit their academic certificates and to pay GH¢800 each.

The thickets have natural cover and natural obstacles for ‘intruders’ and offer a safe haven for the ‘recruits’ in a valley with a stream.

Justine Abotsi, 21, the only female among the ‘recruits’ said she came from Anlo Afiadenyigba and reported for the training ten days ago after she received calls of her selection to be trained as a farm hand for a company abroad.

She said it was after she got to the training camp and had her mobile phones seized that she realised it was a military training camp.

Emmanuel Tannor, 19, and six others who came from Accra to the training camp said they were told Western Togoland had attained independence and was recruiting soldiers.

He said they met another group at the camp said to have completed training and going on “peace keeping”.

Mr Anthony Avorgbedor, Ketu North Municipal Chief Executive, said he was surprised illegal military training camp was being run in the Municipality and commended the military for the quick response.

 

Source: GNA

Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces have arrested 21 suspected members of separatists group, Homeland Study Group Foundation in the Volta Region.

The suspects comprising 20 males and a female were rounded up at their training camp in a forest in Kpevedui during the early hours of Monday by soldiers of the 66 Artillery Regiment.

Over 40 soldiers were accompanied by two crime scene investigators from the police for the operation.

The Commanding Officer of the regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Baba Pantoah, told the media that about three other suspected separatists escaped before the arrests were made.

The suspects are expected to be airlifted to Accra later on.

The Police in the Volta Region has arrested some 21 persons who are members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation for unlawfully gathering at the premises of Global FM in Ho.

The suspects, according to the police, are from various parts of the country including Anlo Afiadenyigba, Volo, Volo, Dambai, Obuasi, Battor, Weta, Atiavi, Fodoku.

The police, in a statement on Wednesday, said the arrest was based on intelligence that the suspects were planning to demonstrate against the judicial process involving the trial of seven of their members standing trial for treason felony.

Read: Western Togoland brouhaha is recipe for tribal war Antwi-Danso warns

“The Volta Regional Police Command today 04 December 2019 arrested 21 members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation at the premises of Global FM in the Ho Municipality for Unlawful Assembly.”

“The 21, including one woman, currently in custody assisting investigation, aged between 26 years and 70 years had come from various locations within the region and beyond for their intended demonstration; Anlo Afiadenyigba, Volo, Dambai, MAfi Adidome, Abotoase, Adaklu, Ehi, Botoku, Accra, Liati, Aborlorve, Saviepe, Dededo, Atiavi, Weta, Adutor, Fodoku, Battor, Hohoe, Obuasi and Atiavi,” the statement said.

The Homeland Study Group Foundation, led by 80-year-old Charles Kormi Kudzodzi popularly known as Papa Hogbedetor have been in the news in recent times over their campaign for the cessation of some part of the Volta Region from Ghana to be known as “Western Togoland.”

Read: AG drops charges against Western Togoland secessionists

Recently in a viral video, some members of the group were seen in a supposed independence declaration event.

Ten members of the group were earlier this week arrested by Police in Tumu for allegedly trying to convince some chiefs to support their cause.

They were subsequently put before court and remanded.

Seven others, who are said to be leaders of the group are also in police custody, charged with treason felony.

 

Source: citinewsroom 

MP for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the actions of a separatist group in the region as a “comic relief” which “is no longer funny.”

In a post on Facebook, the outspoken legislator said: “we must keep faith with the unitary Ghana project resolving to perfect the union by avoiding these distractions and focus on achieving our collective hopes and aspirations.”

“This obviously should be anchored on stepping up efforts for the attainment of the vision of true Continental African Unity,” he wrote.

Read: AG drops charges against Western Togoland secessionists

Read his full post below

At a time we should be denouncing artificial borders, many of which are imperialist relics from the Berlin scramble for Africa; unfortunately, some compatriots seek to further perpetuate disintegration and Balkanisation by waging a most needless and unwarranted secession agenda.

It is trite knowledge, which is not lost on the agitators that the historical Trans-Volta Togoland transcends the Volta Region and covers many other contemporary jurisdictions across multiple regions and countries. Reason it beats my imagination how this became a crusade for the Volta Region.

We must keep faith with the unitary Ghana project resolving to perfect the union by avoiding these distractions and focus on achieving our collective hopes and aspirations. This obviously should be anchored on stepping up efforts for the attainment of the vision of true Continental African Unity.

Ghana cannot be fortuitously hosting the secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area, several decades after Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah mooted the idea, and yet be sending such embarrassing signals to the rest of the continent.

This comic relief is no longer funny; besides, it is totally unacceptable for a few secessionist elements without any mandate whatsoever to purport to be speaking for an entire region and declaring independence on our behalf. Enough!

Read: Western Togoland: Five separatists remanded on treason felony charges

I concede there are many issues we should come together and fight for in our region, and even more importantly in our country Ghana, however, separatist desires cannot be one of them.

Finally, let us be mindful of the greatest threat every human civilization has always faced: the unseen forces who exploit cracks to the detriment of an otherwise formidable people.

May God bless and preserve our beautiful union.

 

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Self-acclaimed President of the Independent Western Togoland, Charles Kormi Kudzordzi known as Papavi Hogbedetor and his shadow cabinet of ministers are currently on the run after being sought by the police.

Security agencies are on the heels of the members of the group who have not only flouted the laws of the country but are said to be a major security threat to the Volta Region according to sources at the Volta Regional Security Committee.

Read: Western Togoland: 10 members of separatist movement arrested

Mr. Charles Kormi Kudzodzi, the 80-year-old Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), who is championing the partitioning of the Volta Region as an independent state is currently on bail by the Accra High Court 2 in the sum of GH¢250,000.

He was granted bail with two sureties, one of whom should be justified, to an amount of GH¢250000 for him to report twice to the investigators on Mondays and Thursdays.

Seven, including Besa Amedeus Akorli, Blay Kaku Freeman, Nkpe Tornye Kudjo, Thomson Tsigbe, Agbenyega Akudzi, Dzereke Kofi and Benjamin Agbodzagah who were remanded into Prison custody have since been released also on bail

All eight are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit treason felony contrary to section 23(1) and 182 (b)of the Criminal offences Act, 1960(Act 29).

Following the declaration of their independence last Sunday, MyNewsGh.com has gathered that the group has flouted the bail conditions and may be taken into police custody based on a directive from the courts.

Read: Take us to ICC Togolanders to Ghana govt

Sources revealed to this portal that strong evidence from various security agencies have been pieced together to build a good docket for the members of the Separatist group to be charged.

The Homeland Study Group Foundation declared independence for the Volta, and parts of the Northern, North Eastern and Upper East Regions after its meeting held in Ho last Sunday.

However, these areas appear to have some establishments that belong to Ghana but the new group reveals that it will speak with authorities in Ghana to chart a new path on the latest development.

But Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in a statement has warned that government will deal with them in accordance with the law.

 

Source: mynewsgh.com