Volta Secessionists: Group Urges Gov’t To Engage Chiefs To End Attacks

The Concerned Citizens of the Volta Region (CONCIVOR) are calling on the government to engage chiefs in the Volta Region to get to the bottom of the recent attacks by secessionist groups in the Region.

The group, who are fighting for the independence of the region as a State recently attacked police stations, blocking roads, as well as the taking of people as hostages among destruction and burning of State property.

The Volta Regional House of Chiefs has condemned the act and called for investigations into the Western Togoland development.

The Concerned Citizens of the Volta Region have also spoken against the violent activities of the group.

While calling on the government to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the events, the group further emphasizes that Chiefs in the Region must be engaged.

“We also believe that to fully resolve the issue arising and threatening the peace and security of Ghana, the Government must as a matter of necessity engage the chiefs and other traditional heads in the various communities where the troubles are being fomented. These engagements must be open, transparent and devoid of needless suspicion towards either side”, part of a press release from the Concerned Citizens of the Volta Region reads.

The Group is entreating the government to treat these persons as criminals and view their acts as intended to upset the peace and democratic order of Ghana and to deal with them accordingly.

Meanwhile, the Concerned Citizens of the Volta Region have also called on the international community to show interest in the development in the Volta Region.

“We hereby appeal to the ECOWAS, whose current head coincidentally is the President of the Republic of Ghana, the African Union and the United Nations to show keen interest in the matter as an early warning sign and take adequate measures to prevent another scar on the face of the world”, part of the release also reads.

Below is the full press release:

PRESS RELEASE BY CONCERNED CITIZENS OF THE VOLTA REGION (CONCIVOR) ON ATTACKS BY UNIDENTIFIED GROUPS ON THE 25^TH SEPTEMBER, 2020 AND SUBSEQUENT ATTACKS

The members of the Concerned Citizens of the Volta Region (CONCIVOR) have in the past days been following the unfortunate and very worrying developments in the Volta Region of the Republic of Ghana just months to the general election on December 7, 2020 and wish to state unequivocally that, we condemn in no uncertain terms, the violent activities of an amorphous group, under the guise of fighting for the independence of Western Togoland. The impression being created is that, the Western Togoland as it may have existed historically, encompasses the territory now known as the Volta Region of Ghana.

Since the first audacious attack by this amorphous group in the early hours of 25^th September, 2020 on the sovereignty of the Republic of Ghana and on the peace-loving people of the Volta Region for that matter, there have been swift and unreserved condemnations by the chiefs of the Volta Region. Particular mention is made of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs which is the constitutionally designated umbrella body of all chiefs in the Region, the Awomefia of the Anlo State, the Battor Traditional Council, the Asogli State, the Gbi-Hohoe Traditional Area, the Alavanyo Traditional Area, the Office of the Paramount Chief of Peki, and many other groups and individuals including security experts.

We are by this statement associating with the position of the chiefs across the Volta Region and especially that of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs expressed in a release to the media, dated 27^th September, 2020 in which the traditional rulers did not only condemn the attacks and underscored the peaceful character of the people of the Region, but also called on Government to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the events of 25^th September, 2020. We also associate with the recount by the House of Chiefs, of certain unfortunate comments and conducts directed at the people of the Volta Region which as they note, are not only troubling but have negative consequences on the people of the Region.

While it is not clear yet the exact group that is responsible for these reprehensible and objectionable violent acts in the Region and their exact motives, the concerned citizens of the Region consider that Government with all the security apparatus at its disposal can and should unravel the facts and uncover the faces behind these acts and to bring them to face the full arm of the law. The spill-over effects of this localized issue can be dire for the entire Republic and could bring its image as a beacon of democracy into disrepute.

We also believe that to fully resolve the issue arising and threatening the peace and security of Ghana, the Government must as a matter of necessity engage the chiefs and other traditional heads in the various communities where the troubles are being fomented. These engagements must be open, transparent and devoid of needless suspicion towards either side.

We note that the modus operandi of the group which so far has included taking hostages, attacking police stations, blocking roads and indulging in wanton destruction such as burning of State property raises serious doubts about the true intentions of these groups.

On the basis of the foregoing, we the Concerned Citizens of the Volta Region are convinced that these groups, whatever or whoever they are, entertain an agenda completely at variance with persons with true and good intentions for the Region. We, therefore, entreat the Government to treat these persons as criminals and view their acts as intended to upset the peace and democratic order of Ghana and to deal with them accordingly.

We hereby appeal to the ECOWAS, whose current head coincidentally is the President of the Republic of Ghana, the African Union and the United Nations to show keen interest in the matter as an early warning sign and take adequate measures to prevent another scar on the face of the world.

We also call on community watchdog committees to heighten alertness across the communities by sharing timeous intelligence/information for action.

Long Live Volta Region. Long Live Ghana.

………………………….

B. A. SAPATI

COORDINATOR (024 470 5271)

Concerned Citizens of the Volta Region

Thursday, 1^st October, 2020

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