The Truth About The Western Togoland And The Volta Region - Part 3

The Eleven-Power draft resolution on the future of Togoland under British administration was voted on by the Fourth Committee with the following results: Operative paragraph 2 was approved by a separate roll-call vote of 56 to none, with 13 abstentions. The draft resolution as a whole was approved by a roll-call vote of 58 to none, with 11 abstentions. The Five-Power draft resolution on the report of the UN Plebiscite Commissioner was approved unanimously.

The two draft resolutions recommended by the Fourth Committee was adopted by the General Assembly, the first by a vote of 64 to none, with 9 abstentions, and the second unanimously.

There is this much talk about saying that the Plebiscite had allowed a time frame after which the old order could be implemented. Meaning the 1956 Plebiscite had an expiry date. This simply cannot be true; it is like saying the 1992 referendum to accept the Fourth Ghana Republican Constitution has an expiry date.

It is a fact that there is no such statement in the General Assembly Resolution 11d Session of the United Nations, 1044 (XI) on The Future of Togoland under British Administration of the 619^th Plenary meeting held on December 13, 1956.

The document reads, The General Assembly,

Recalling that, by resolution 944 (X) of 15 December 1955, it recommended in pursuance of Article 76 b of the Charter of the United Nations, that a plebiscite be organized and conducted in the Trust Territory of Togoland under British administration by the Administrating Authority in consultation with and under the supervision of a United Nations Plebiscite, in order to ascertain the wishes of its inhabitants in regard to the union of their Territory with an independent Gold Coast or otherwise,

Having received the report of the United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner on the organisation, conduct and results of the plebiscite, and having noted in particular the conclusion contained in the report that the plebiscite was held in an atmosphere of freedom, impartiality and fairness, Having also, received the report of the United Kingdom Plebiscite Administration,

Noting that the majority of the inhabitants of the Trust Territory participating in the plebiscite have expressed themselves in favour of the union of the Territory with an independent Gold Coast, Noting also the recommendation of the Trusteeship Council in its resolution 1496 (XVIII) of 31 July 1956 that appropriate steps be taken, in consultation with the Administrating Authority, for the termination of the Trusteeship Agreement for the Territory to become effective upon the attainment of independence of the Gold Coast, Having been informed by the Administrating Authority that it is the intention of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland that Gold Coast shall become independent on 6 March 1957,

1. Expresses its approval of the union of the Territory of Togoland under British administration with an independent Gold Coast and accordingly invites the Administrating Authority to take such steps as are necessary to this end;
2. Resolves, with the agreement of the Administrating Authority, that, on the date on which the Gold Coast becomes independent and the union with it of the Territory of Togoland under British administration takes place, the Trusteeship Agreement approved by the General Assembly in resolution 63 (I) of 13 December 1946 shall cease to be in force, the objectives of trusteeship having attained;
3. Requests the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to notify the Secretary-General as soon as the union of the Territory of Togoland under British administration with an independent Gold Coast has been effected;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to communicate to all Member States and to the Trusteeship Council at its nineteenth section the notification by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in paragraph 3 above.

General Assembly Resolution 11d Session of the United Nations, 1045 (XI) on The Report of the United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner for the Trust Territory of Togoland under British Administration of the 619^th Plenary meeting held on December 13, 1956, reads,

The General Assembly,

Having received the report of the United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner on the organisation, conduct and results of the plebiscite in the Trust Territory of Togoland under British administration,

1. Takes note of the report of the United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner;
2. Expresses its high appreciation of the work carried out by the United Nations Plebiscite Commissioner and the United Nations staff under his direction.

The above are authentic UN documents on Trans Volta Togoland and they clearly show that after the debate sections where petitions were allowed by Ewes, the United Nations was pleased with the conduct and results of the 1956 Plebiscite and went ahead with the unification of British Togoland and Ghana on March 6, 1957 as wished by the majority of those who participated in the May 9, 1956 Plebiscite.

Nowhere in any UN report or document was it stated that a so called Western Togoland ever existed and should be in the state of waiting until such a time that it will be united to any Eastern Togoland.

If the so-called separatists want us to believe that they are not part of Ghana, then they are invoking UN Resolution 63 (I) which means they must go back under trusteeship. At any rate, the UK who used to administer the territory is not interested in doing so.

A lot of old wives tales are been peddled about, some of which I will respond to in my fourth and final part of this submission. What is unbelievable is that some rather very enlightened and much-read people are pushing the youth unto the streets to trumpet their lies and sow seeds of confusion in that part of the region.

Some have asked for hard evidence from me and even though I gave them leads, they felt dissatisfied and so I have to take the trouble to publish this research work quoting my sources.

Stay tune for the fourth and final part where some people claimed the Ewes have fought seven foughts, which I can debunk as well.

Hon. Daniel Dugan