Anlo Chiefs Call For Probe

SOME prominent chiefs and clan heads of the Anlo traditional area have called for the establishment of an independent and impartial judicial committee to investigate events leading to the crisis in Anloga that has so far claimed five lives.

At a press conference in Accra yesterday, the chiefs, led by Togbi Gbordzoe III, Dusi Fiaga (Right wing Chief) and Chief of Woe, said that such a body was necessary, because of alleged 'complicity of the Police; the Ministry of the Interior and inaction of the Office of the President.'

They also put forward a range of demands including the immediate withdrawal of the military and police from Anlo, immediate release of those arrested and incarcerated by the police, the immediate transfer of all policemen stationed in Anloga and Keta and removal from office of the Volta Regional Minister, Kofi Dzamesi and Edward Ahiabor, Keta District Chief Executive.

They accused the police in particular of shirking their professional duties and supporting one faction in the dispute. They also said Mr Dzamesi and Mr Ahiabor had shown open bias for Francis Nyonyo Agboada, also known as Regent Togbui Sri. III.

The demands of the chiefs were contained in a statement read by Togbi Azadagli of Tegbi at the press conference on behalf of the Awadada, the traditional warlord of the Anlo State.

The chiefs and elders, as well as some Anlo citizens clad in black and red, occasionally sang Anlo patriotic and war songs.

The statement described the deployment of the security forces as, 'unleashing of full force on defenceless and patriotic citizens of Anloga who simply tried to stop an illegality about to be perpetrated on their land.'

It said even though the issue of the installation of an Awoamefia has been pending in the courts since 2000, Mr Agboada has been enjoying illegal police protection to carry out his intention of forcibly imposing himself as Awoamefia.

It said in 2005, when Mr Agboada declared his intention to celebrate the Hogbetsotso festival, the traditional festival of the Anlos, a group of chiefs and citizens from the area went to the Office of the President and 'petitioned the President to protest the illegal use of the police and ask for his intervention to restrain him.'

Contrary to the promise that the government was going to examine their concerns and react accordingly, 'to our surprise and shock, a heavy security deployment, involving police and military at Anloga prior to the celebration, gave Mr Agboada support and protection to carry out his intentions.'

The statement further said the climax of the visible support by government was a courtesy call on Mr Agboada at Anloga on January 10, 2006 by the Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs, S.K. Boafo, and the Inspector-General of Police, Patrick Acheampong.

They alleged that some high – ranking officials in government are behind the plot to assist Mr Agboada to carry out his intentions.

'The current situation in Anlo should be put at their doorstep. The Office of the President should vicariously be held responsible for their inaction and turning a deaf ear to the representation and the appeal to stop Francis Nyonyo.'

They wondered whether the Public Order Act invoked by the Interior Minister, Kwamena Bartels, to ensure the security of the area could not have happened earlier when there were clear signs of a crisis.

In their view, the imposition of 'a state-of-emergency' in the area, 'was to allow Nyonyo (Mr Agboada) and his faction to continue to harass the citizens.'

On the question of the Awoamefia, the chief and elders said they were time honoured and tested processes that had been used to install Awoamefia from the very first Togbui Sri I, to Adeladza II, who died in 1998.

On the way forward, they pledged to use all legitimate means to ensure that the truth stands.

While expressing condolences to the bereaved families, they called on Anlos 'to remain calm but vigilant in defending the truth'.

They also commended the Ghanaian Times and some other media for 'exhibiting a high sense of professionalism and impartiality in their reportage.'

They added that the legitimate cause of defending their customs and heritage 'should not be drawn into the usual NPP/NDC politics.'

Among those present at the meeting were, Togbi Tenge Sokoto Gligui VI, Dufia of Anyako and Fiaga of Wego, Togbi Nukpornku II, Dufia of Wuga-Zomayi and Togbi Jeh III, head of Ewiweme clan.

Last Thursday, November 1 the police clashed with some youth opposed to the installation of Mr Agboada.

According to eyewitness reports, the immediate cause of the clashes was that some youths opposed to Mr Agboda blocked the entrance to the shrine where rites for the installation were to be performed.