We disapprove of Western Togolanders’ activities – National House of Chiefs

The National House of Chiefs has condemned the activities of the Western Togolanders who blocked entry and exit roads into and out of the Volta Region on Friday dawn.

Three police officers were held hostage by the secessionist group during a fire exchange that led to the injury of three militants with one death.

Twenty-nine of the secessionists have been arrested.

Speaking on the matter on Friday evening, the President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, said: “The Standing Committee will issue an appropriate response after this meeting to the happenings in the Volta Region, which we disapprove of and this is not something that any of us must condone”.

“It’s something that we should all support the government to ensure that it is nipped in the bud so we can continue in peace as a nation”, he said.

Meanwhile, security analyst Adib Saani has called on the National Security Minister, Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, to resign over his failure to heed early warnings concerning the activities of the secessionist group.

Describing the actions of the group as “more audacious, brazen”, Mr Sanni indicated that such actions are bound to recur because the secessionists have become more determined to “make strong political statements and control the narrative.”

Addressing the issue on his Facebook timeline on Friday, 25 September 2020, Mr Saani intimated: “National Security Minister must resign for failure to heed warning signs”.

He noted: “We ignored the early warning signs and thought this was all a joke”.

“We arrest and release, re-arrest and release again”.

“Despite the presence of intelligence officers, they have largely failed to gather actionable intel in real-time,” he added.

Mr Sanni, who is also the Executive Director of the Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace-Building, also said, “They seem to be succeeding into bullying government into submission.

“They have succeeded in disrupting lives and holding the nation hostage.

“Soon, we might go beyond condemning their actions to asking them what their demands are,” he added.

He further predicted that the secessionists “might start targeting critical infrastructure,” adding that infrastructure such as the over 100-kilometre Accra - Atimpoku - Juapong stretch, Adome bridge and the Akosombo dam are “high-value targets” that we cannot trade-off.

He also suggested that investments are made in human security.

In furtherance, he called for a collaborative effort with the Togolese authorities “so the group does not engage in cross-border activities and the trafficking of weapons to oil their seeming war machine.”