Pressure Group, Occupy Ghana, has asked government to ascertain and address legitimate demands with regards to the emergence of a secessionist group made up of persons identifying themselves as ‘Western Togolanders’ in Ghana.
In a statement issued by the group, it said it acknowledged the initial response of the Government in dealing with and containing the matter but it however said that, “we should not be lulled into a false sense of security, especially as an election approaches.”
“By this statement, we call on the Government to ascertain and address any legitimate demands that could be addressed, in the spirit of our shared nationhood. However, it should be clear to all that, our nationhood and the territories of this nation are non-negotiable and individuals who have broken the law, should be made to face the law.
“We urge the Government to ascertain any relevant and justified grievances, and address those that are capable of being addressed. This would be proper and in line with the constitutional injunction on the State to foster a spirit of loyalty to Ghana that overrides sectional, ethnic and other loyalties.”
The group also urged Government to firmly assert that secession, separation or severing of any part of this great nation, is a “treasonous anathema that should not and cannot even be broached or be on the agenda.”
The group also asked government to prosecute any suspect under the law who is involved in these activities.
“To the extent that the laws of Ghana including our criminal laws, have been breached and broken in the wake or on the back of these demands, we urge the Government to prosecute any suspects to the fullest extent possible under those laws. Any brazenness of any illegal group should be matched with a strong enforcement of the law.”
The emergence of the secessionist popularly known as “Western Togolanders” has stirred up a lot of criticisms, raised concerned from citizens and have got many questioning the security and the security agencies of the nation.
These issues sprang and became nationwide, when on Friday, 25th of September 2020, the secessionist group attacked and blocked the roads of some major entry and exit points to the Volta Region.
The secessionist group also, attacked two police stations at Aveyime and Mepe, and seized 10 AK47 assault rifles after breaking into the police armoury. They ransacked the police stations, released inmates in custody, physically assaulted and injured police officers. However, a joint police and military enforcement team rescued the police officers who were held hostage.
The group also launched an attack on the State Transport Union Yard where they destroyed and burnt an STC vehicle and attacked the drivers who were in the yard.
The security agencies have so far arrested some members of the secessionist group, airlifted to Accra and in the custody of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service where they are being interrogated.
The Homeland Study Group Foundation in May 2019 declared independence for Western Togoland, saying that they were no more part of Ghana.
