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19.08.2019 Regional News

New Separatist Group Pops-Up In Volta Region

By Ahianyo Peter Atsu
New Separatist Group Pops-Up In Volta Region
19.08.2019 LISTEN

The agitation of some people of the Volta Region to have their own country which they call British Togoland keeps increasing each day although it is not as easy as buying snacks at Walmart or logging into facebook.

Despite government's tough stance, they seem to be more willing to face any harassment from the government just to succeed.

United Freedom Fighters, UFF is the new separatist group that is keen on someday achieving the statehood or independence dream for the people of the Volta Region (Trans Volta Togoland).

The group has its head office located at Aflao in the Ketu South Municipal Assembly. According to the Chairman of the group, Mr. Raphael Tettevi, the United Freedom Fighters is political unlike the other popular one, Homeland Study Group Foundation, HSGF which describes itself as an NGO organization.

Executives of the UFF criticize the HSGF leaders for misleading the people of the Volta Region and siphoning money from some of them. They claim that the HSGF is a registered NGO and therefore cannot involve itself in any political related activity as NGOs do not partake in politics.

Speaking to WestAfrica24.com, the group's Chairman maintains that they will gradually champion the course of separating the British Togoland from Ghana by thoroughly educating the indigenes of the territory.

Below is a brief write up from the Chairman of the United Freedom Fighters (UFF):

***UNITED FREEDOM FIGHTERS***

__Separation Now__

The United Freedom Fighters is established in 2017 for the separation of British Togoland from Ghana and then to improve the living standards of her citizens. The formation of the UFF became necessary as the living standards of the citizens of the Noble state kept deteriorating.

British Togoland citizens have become second class citizens as Ghana refused to extend development to the other nation that was supposed to be in a union with her. When you pass through this rich nation you abject poverty, disease, illiteracy, etc. openly on the faces of the citizens who have no power to cause any change to their predicament.

United Freedom Fighters campaign banner

British Togoland voted in a rigged referendum ordered by the United Nations in 1956 to decide whether they would like to form a union with the Gold Coast on her Independence or remain a Trusted Territory until they become independent.

The referendum ended with 58 percent of the citizens voting for a union with their neighbor and 42 percent voting against the union. Assuming without admitting that the processes before, during and after the referendum were proper and acceptable, the union must be supported by a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two West African neighbors, spelling out the terms and conditions of the Union.

This however, did not happen as Kwame Nkrumah unilaterally organized another referendum in the Gold Coast in which they voted for a unitary system of government instead of federal system thereby annulling the UN ordered referendum.

What this meant was that indigenes of the British Togoland voted to be in a union which is to be formed formed by two Nations but the Gold Coast, two months after that, illegally integrated the British Togoland and since then reduced her inhabitants to second class citizens. Better still we can say our nation was rather annexed since we did not vote for integration. Annexation is a criminal act under international law.

Because of all these irregularities, there is no Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as we speak to support the union we voted for. Since then we have faced one form of discrimination and another living us with little or no opportunities for human, financial, health or educational development.

The United Nations as a result of these irregularities laid embargo on all the natural resources within the British Togoland Territory. This embargo was recently violated as oil is being exploited in the Voltain Basin.

It was for these and other reasons that the UFF is formed purposely for the separation of British Togoland from Ghana so we can take our destiny into our own hands to be able to give hope to the marginalized citizens of the territory. The UFF wish to liberate the nation now and not later. We cannot continue to live with people who do not have any respect for us and continue to deny us even the most basic human rights.

The current government is flirting with some of our own citizens to suppress any movement towards the liberation agenda. The government is doing so through a group calling itself Homeland Study Group Foundation ( HSGF) which was registered as a non governmental organization (NGO). The HSGF is lead by a 92 year old retired teacher, Mr Charles Kormi Kudzordzi. The question is do NGO's do politics? and the answer is, no.

Why then should a retired teacher use an NGO to fight for Independence?

We have now gathered that when Papavi was arrested on the 5th of May, 2019 at Ho for planning to unilaterally declare Independence and flown in a helicopter to Accra, he was taken to Attorney General's residence where they sat facing each other at a dinner. What could the man who was accused of treason be doing in the Attorney General's residence? It was also alleged that Papavi was given a huge sum of money to silence him.

The UFF has come to fill the gap created by these irresponsible and unpatriotic citizens once and for all. The UFF shall mobilize the citizens through peaceful and legally accepted international methods to force the government and the other stakeholders to the negotiating table immediately.

As the name of the separatist political party implies we intend to unite patriotic citizens of British Togoland for total liberation of the rich nation and her people.

BY RAPHAEL TETTEVI

Chairman, United Freedom Fighters

Source: WestAfrica24.com

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