Lawyer Maurice Ampaw
Accra-based legal practitioner, Lawyer Dr. Maurice Ampaw, has accused the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice of treating the secessionist movement, Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), with kids’ gloves.
According to the vociferous legal personality, the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice failed to nail the separatist group when they were arrested. Adding that secessionists were more dangerous than coup makers, yet the Attorney General declared that the government had no interest in the case.
Dr. Maurice Ampaw, while speaking in an interview on OTEC FM, suggested that the government must detain the separatists and give them life sentences, insisting that the age of the leader should not blind Ghanaians to temper justice with mercy.
“A separatist can make claims to territorial land and boundaries, water bodies, airspace, oil and other natural resources, so they are very deadly,” the renowned lawyer indicated, and recommended that “They need to be dealt with all the severest of punishments.”
Lawyer Ampaw blamed President Nana Akufo-Addo, the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Office, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and other security functionaries for failing to act in accordance with the law.
He, however, commended the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for being resolute to deny some groups, including the Ashantis, to declare their independence.
Dr. Maurice Ampaw also condemned the loud silence of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its flagbearer, former President Mr. John Dramani Mahama, for failing to condemn the development.
He explained that the secessionists come from the NDC stronghold, hence, the NDC should do everything possible to ensure the Volta Region is never separated from Ghana, especially as we prepare for the 2020 general elections.
Lawyer Ampaw described the silence of the NDC as “a useless course” and charged them to put the needed pressure on the government to do the right thing immediately.
News went round last weekend that the Homeland Study Group Foundation declared independence for the Volta Region and parts of Northern, North Eastern and Upper East regions, after its meeting held in Ho.
The leader of the Homeland Study Group Foundation, 85-year-old Mr. Charles Kudzordzi, also known as Papavi Hogbedetor, is currently on the run.
Meanwhile, five members of the group have been remanded on treason charges, after being arraigned at the Ho District court on Wednesday, 20 November 2019.
They include Peter Godfried Edem, Mkpe Tornyi Kudjo, Kofi Agbeko, Agbenyega Akudzia and Ibrahim Tofa.
They are to reappear in court on 4 December 2019.
