Planned 72-Hour Closure of Togo Border

Following the exposure of the cynicism of the NPP government to close the Ghana side of the Togo border at least seventy-two hours (three days) before the presidential run-off on 28 December, 2008, the government has been revising its strategy.

Latest intelligence reports picked from National Security has confirmed the review of strategy on the basis that the True Democrat exposed the details of their planned closure of the Ghana/Togo border. The new twist to the plan is the diplomatic pressure being mounted on the Togo government of Faure Gnassingbe to close their side of the border, a convenient decoy to deflect criticism from Ghanaians.

Various options were looked at among them being the tactic to shut the border around 21st-22nd December citing security concerns if the Togolese government fails to do the biding of the NPP government. At the recent meeting held yesterday by the security chiefs and NPP strategists, the other option being kept very close to their chest is to get some of the sponsored agents in national security to fire warning shots or detonate hand grenades very close to the Togo border. The stage-managed incident is to be used by the NPP government to close the border and deflect attention from the ulterior motive of denying most Ghanaians who cross the border daily for business or to work in the sister country.

With the state of panic to be created along the border and among the citizens of the Volta Region, the NPP expects to benefit immensely from the run-off. This is to be enhanced with the deployment of heavy military presence from the 66 Artillery unit otherwise known as the Medium Mortar Regiment stationed in Ho, the Volta Regional capital. A military reinforcement from Accra is also on the cards. The expected gain, the intelligence source told the paper is to reduce substantially the turn-out in the NDC stronghold.

According to the True Democrat intelligence sources, the closure of the Eastern Frontier has not only generated intense debate in the camp of the NPP, but also angered some sons from the Volta Region in the party. With the plot to use stage-managed explosives to create panic and induce fear in the voters, the source is urging church leaders and other civil society groups interested in the conduct of free and fair elections to speak out against the ignominy being planned by the NPP government.

It would be recalled that in our Monday December 15 issue, we reported that high level meetings have been held in the Castle and at the La Palm Royal Hotel, Accra on Thursday December 11, 2008. The meeting, we report on authority discussed extensively new methods to deny Ghanaian citizens living along the border with Togo their franchise. We also exposed the rationale behind the purported conspiracy to close the Eastern frontier seventy-two hours (72-hours), ostensibly to outwit innocent voters from the region who may have traveled to Togo to transact business.

The True Democrat disclosed details of the meeting to have been attended by high profile members in national security and hawks squatting in the presidency. While a son of the Volta Region, who attended the Castle meeting warned of the dangers of their own supporters turning against the government because of its discriminatory nature, the decision as to how to handle it was deferred. The deferral was done to exclude the said person from the subsequent meeting, which took place in the plush hotel.

The paper also provided readers with insights on how the NPP security operatives and big wigs riled into the pronouncements and the open condemnation by the Agbogbomefia, Togbui Afede against the closure of the Eastern frontier twenty-four (24) hours before the first round of voting on December 7 2008. The True Democrat revealed how they proceeded to weigh the options available to them, citing the possibility of the NDC machinery alerting its supporters not to cross the border a day to the election run-off. Sensing that their plan could be ineffective this time round, the meeting which included some noted security chiefs from the Armed Forces, Immigration and Customs and Preventive Service (CEPS) proposed to shut the border with Togo three days to the run-off.

With the latest twist to shut the border earlier than proposed at their secret meeting using stage-managed use of explosives to cause panic and induce fear in the residents, the NDC must sit up. In the earlier story, True Democrat intelligence further revealed a plan 'B' which is to involve the Togolese authorities. A high-powered delegation has been dispatched to Togo to discuss the possibility of closing their side of the border with Ghana. On the condition that the Togolese agreed to the proposal, the Government of Ghana is to hide behind this secret diplomatic manoeuvre to escape criticism.

Meanwhile, the True Democrat intelligence has reaffirmed the information which points to a planned massive deployment of NPP Party Police to the Volta Region on voting day with the sole intention of intimidating, harassing and scaring the voters away from the polls on December 28. The NPP Party Police are expected to draw support from the 64 Infantry Regiment. The soldiers earmarked for the exercise are those exclusively trained in Israel, Morocco and Nigeria when the NPP came to power in 2001.

Most of them were said to have been handpicked from Jamasi and Nkawie in the Ashanti Region. More anon