Police removes Western Togoland signages from roads in Eastern Region

The Somanya police command has removed road signages welcoming travellers to Western Togoland and wishing them a safe journey.

They were mounted at Akorley, near Somanya and Akuse in the Eastern Region.

The signages were removed on Thursday, 3 September 2020.

They are believed to have been mounted in the night by some unknown persons.

The signages have been sent to the police station.

One was mounted at Akorley on the Accra-Somanya road while another was mounted at Akuse in the Lower Manya Krobo municipality.

On 5 March 2020, the staff of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council were greeted at the entrance with the supposed flag of Western Togoland hoisted by unknown persons at the premises.

Policemen were called to pull down the flag.

Those behind it are unknown but it is believed it was done at dawn under the cover of darkness.

The incident happened a day to Ghana’s 63rd Independence Day anniversary.

The Western Togolanders, a successionist group, insist the Volta Region, which they refer to as Western Togoland, is not legally part of Ghana.

They have declared the Volta Region an independent state but their leaders are in court on treason charges.

A team of military and police personnel arrested about 20 more members of secessionist group Homeland Study Foundation in the Volta Region, as they were about to address the media on the arrest and detention of their leader Mr Charles Kormi Kudjordjie.

The group was planning to declare the Volta Region an independent state on 9 May 2019. They insist the Volta Region, which they refer to as Western Togoland, is not legally part of Ghana.

A few days before then, Mr George Nyarkpo, the Secretary to the group said its members will continue, until death, to press for the declaration of the Volta Region as an independent nation.

He said no amount of intimidation and death threats will prevent the group from pursuing that dream.

Mr Kudjordjie, who is believed to be over 80 years old, was arrested on Sunday, 5 May 2019 together with seven others by a joint team of police, military and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) personnel while they met.

A statement issued by the police on Monday said the men were putting final preparations to their plan to declare independence for the Volta Region.

The group wants a restoration of the pre-independent Western Togoland through a total break away from the current Republic of Ghana.

Although the leading figures of the foundation were ordered by a High Court in Ho to sign a bond of good behaviour and desist from their secessionist activities in July 2017, they convened another breakaway conference in the Volta Region on Sunday, which resulted in the arrest of Mr Kudjordjie, who is over 80 years old and the other front liners.

The secessionist leader was flown to Accra and has been in the custody of state security ever since.

Speaking in an interview with Kwabena Prah Jnr. on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Tuesday, 7 May 2019, Mr Nyarko said: “We have taken the issue outside of the shores of Ghana. We wrote to the UN, we wrote to other bodies that have been mandated by the UN. When you go to the website now, you will hear all our stories there. So, all the international bodies are aware. We are just inviting Ghana to come to the dialogue table, we don’t hold guns or anything or we are scared. Man dies only ones.

“We are just inviting them to come and let us talk about this issue. When we get our independence, you will still be our close neighbours. We have a lot of plans underway.

“Yesterday [Monday, 6 May 2019], we held a press conference and announced that this issue has gone beyond guns and bullets. That is why we are extending hands to them to come and let’s talk. If they don’t choose the peace approach, we will meet them by their own actions.”