New Regions: Agitations needless – Akufo-Addo to Ketu Chiefs

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has described as unfounded and needless, the agitations generated over who should vote and should not vote in the Volta region in the upcoming referendum to divide the Volta Region into two separate regions.

Addressing the chiefs and leaders of the Ketu South Traditional Council at the Jubilee House, the President said throughout the history of Ghana, there has been the creation of new regions and in all those periods, the people affected were those who voted and not the entire area or region in question. The President called on the chiefs and leaders of the Municipality to assist to bring an end to the agitations.

“This Ghana that we have, we were not always ten (10) regions. Hundred years ago in the colonial period, we were three, the Gold Coast colony, the Ashanti protratiate, and the Northern territories. Subsequently after the First World War when the British took over some of the territories from the Germans in Togo, we then also got Trans Volta Togoland and we became four all the way until the mid-fifties when Eastern Region and Western Region were created out of the Gold Coast Colony so that we became six,” the President observed.

The President further noted that the Central Region, and the Upper East and Upper West Regions were subsequently also created indicating that Ghana has always had the reorganization of it’s regions. “When it comes to the issues of referendum throughout the history of the country, it is always about those who are seeking the autonomy or independence, they are the ones who vote. If you take two or three years ago, the people in Scotland, in the United Kingdom, it is not the whole United Kingdom that voted, it was the people of Scotland who had to determine whether or not they wanted to go independent,” the President said.

The President also cited the recent referendum in Spain and observed that it was the Catalans who voted and not the whole of Spain. “Here in our own country, Trans Volta Togoland people in Keta did not vote because they were part of the Gold Coast Colony. It was the people in Western Togo, northern part of Ghana who voted in that referendum. The people in Kyebi where I come from did not vote in that referendum because it was not about them. It was about the people of the Trans Volta Togoland, whether or not they wanted to be part of Ghana or the new Togo,” the President said.

The President called on the Paramount Chiefs from the three traditional areas to assist in calming down the agitations. “So Torgbe through you and the senior chiefs that have come with you, I am pleading, let the temperature on this matter calm down,” the President said.

The President and Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Council, Torgbi Amenya Fiti V, who led the forty (40) man delegation which also included Torgbi Addo VIII, Paramount Chief of Klikor Traditional Area and Torgbi Adamah III, Paramount Chief of Somey Traditional Area, in his submission requested of the President to intervene in the closure of various entry points along the Ghana-Togo boarder commonly called “beats”.

He observed that the security agencies’ complete closure of the “beats” is considered to be sabotage against free movement of people and goods in the Ketu Municipality.

The Division of the Ketu South Municipality into two separate districts was the next request of the chiefs. He indicated that Ketu South is currently the biggest constituency in the country and a division is only right. The chiefs also required government to consider building a modern stadium in the Ketu Municipality to enable the municipality develop the football and athletic potentials of the growing number of youth who have interest in sports.

The next issue of concern was the urban and feeder road networks in the Ketu Municipality. The chiefs argued that there is a need for urgent attention to be given to the poor and deplorable state of roads in their area. On the devastation caused by the sea along the coastal areas of Keta and Ketu South, the chiefs expressed their satisfaction at the return of the Amadi Construction Company back to site. They appealed to the President to ensure that action is expedited on the project especially at Amutinu and Salakorpe.

President Akufo Addo in response to the request made by the chiefs said he had taken note of all the requests that had been made by the chiefs and assured them that his administration would ensure that they receive immediate attention.