On The Creation Of New Region From The Volta Region

The Krachi Youth Association is glad to release this press statement in response to a number of media publications of some mischievous groups who are parading themselves as concerned people of Volta Region to undermine and frustrate the constitutional process and workings of the Commission of Enquiry for the creation of the proposed Oti Region from the Volta Region.

The groups we have identified so far include: The Association of Western Togoland Youths-(ASWETOY), Concerned Citizens of Volta Region-(COCI-VOLT) and Individuals who have petitioned the Commission on hearing schedules.

We the proponents of the creation of the Oti Region have heard all the arguments that the groups are advancing to justify their opposition to our noble petition for the creation of the new region.

Weare at al loss as to why these groups are engaging in political propaganda against the good people of the proposed Oti Region for their secret sponsors.

The questions we beg to ask are as follows:
How does the creation of the Oti Region affect the Southern part of Volta Region which is predominantly Ewe?

Does these groups respect our democratic rights?
Are the groups aware that we in the Northern Volta also have a history and how the geo-colonial political

system of that part evolved?
Why did they NOT oppose the creation of districts in the entire Volta Region BUT rather the region?

Why are they deceiving the public and portraying the issue as if the people of the Northern Volta enclave

are all Ewes? The people in that area are predominantly Guan and Twi speaking people.

While our southern neighbours can boast of the best social amenities from Ho to Hohoe to Keta and other

places, we have none of that to boast off. While they can boast of the best schools, hospitals, and other

public and private institutions, we have nothing worthwhile to show. While most of their roads are tarred,

we in the north must navigate tortuous roads in order to trade, access health care and get to our

destinations.
The Oti enclave has been denied any meaningful development. It is certainly not a good feeling for us to

find ourselves in this situation. We are among the main producers of the food and cash crops that make

up the national gross domestic product but the least beneficiaries of the proceeds from it.

It is based on these and many other reasons that, Nananom and intellectuals from the enclave have led

us to a point of no return, a point where we are counting down on days for the referendum, to decide

emphatically that we deserve every opportunity and accessibility open to other Ghanaians. We deserve

good infrastructure, state of the art institutions, and political recognition because we are also Ghanaians.

We are on the move and none of the schemes of the detractors can deter, stop, or break our front because

we do not owe any allegiance to any group. After all, socio-culturally, we are different. We have painstakingly built the momentum that can shatter any formidable opponent to our cause. And so, we

will not at this point trade our cherished cause for any sort of political manipulation.

We have over 400 chiefs and none of them swears an oath of allegiance to any chief anywhere. We are a

people with a common history and destiny. In addition, as a people we speak similar Guan dialects which

are almost intelligible to one another. We determine what is good for us. It is worth noting that our

opponents have resorted to verbal assaults and they insult our respected and revered Chiefs but for our

maturity and respect for human dignity, we would have reacted in equal measure.

As a matter of fact, we were individuals and independent traditional groupings prior to the colonial era.

It was colonialism that brought the North and South together as one region (Volta Region) for

administrative purposes. This colonial arrangement does not predispose any group to be subject to or lord

over the other. We shall therefore not allow anyone to suppress our freedom, development and

democratic rights under the 1992 constitution of Ghana. We consider ourselves as Ghanaians and not

part of the so called Western Togoland which some group have petitioned the UN Secretary General

about.
We respect the cordial relationship we have enjoyed over the years with our Southern brothers and sisters

despite the unpleasant under development we witnessed under the current Volta Region. It is only fair

that the South supports us in this journey to getting a new region rather than oppose and create barriers

on our way.
We want to believe that the agenda of these groups opposing the Oti Region creation are not being

supported by prominent chiefs and politicians of the South.

We would like to use this opportunity to warmly and respectfully welcome the Justice Brobbey’s

Commission to the Volta Region and most importantly to the Oti enclave and specifically Kete-Krachi. We

are so far, satisfied with the ongoing processes and the schedule of public hearing for the Volta Region.

We wholeheartedly support the arrangement since we from the Oti enclave will be directly affected. We

are more than excited, elated and glad that the Commission is reaching out to us the beneficiaries. We

want to assure them of our fervent support and cooperation throughout the process.

We also want to use this platform to alert the Police and Security Agencies to be wide alert as some people

who are opposed to the Oti Region are likely to be violent and introduce any form of dubious means to

stall the work of the Commission. We are curiously also monitoring the activities of such criminally minded

people and will inform the police accordingly when necessary.

Signed:
BarnabasYeboah, PRO
Krachi Youth Association