You can’t go away with Ghana land – Western Togoland ‘separatists’ told

The Homeland Study Group Foundation, whose sole objective is to break away from Ghana, has been told to tread cautiously as their demand is contrary to the country’s constitution.

The Foundation’s objective has stirred controversy as its members claim they will no more be part of Ghana on May 9, 2017. Three of their leaders – Kormi Kudzordzi, Martin Asianu Agbenu and Divine Odonkor – were arrested over the week and charged with treason. They were granted bail and asked to reappear on Tuesday, March 14.

On the extended newspaper review edition on New Day on Saturday, March 11, private legal practitioner Yaw Oppong condemned the action of the group, saying their declaration of a portion of Ghana’s land is treasonable. “Any Ghanaian can say they can’t be Ghanaians any more but you cannot go away with our land.” Though the group claims there are no documents to back a 1956 referendum conducted in the then Trans-Volta Togoland, some of its members said the result of the constitutional exercise prior to Ghana’s independence was to expire after 50 years.

Hence their resolve to declare independence on May 9, 2017. “What is wrong,” lawyer Oppong suggested, “is the declaration that a portion of Ghana is no more part of the jurisdiction of Ghana.” Another lawyer on the programme, Gary Nimako, said the action of the group is the result of central government’s neglect of the region over the past years.

He said if development had trickled down to them, they would not have thought of such action. Lawyer Nimako, again, said the action of the group does not warrant treason as charged. The Group is seeking to declare the entire Volta Region and the western parts of Northern and Upper East regions independent.