Kweku Baako, the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide has punched holes in an argument by former MP for Hohoe South constituency, Kosi Kedem, that Ghana does not exist legally.
Kedem said on Joy News that the current state of Ghana which includes the Volta Region is not recognized as a legal entity.
“There’s no union document on the so-called union between Ghana (Gold Coast) and Togoland. De facto, they are one [unit], but legally, Ghana does not exist,” Kosi Kedem said on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday.
He added, “Resolution 1044 which recognises the recommended union, the same UN Resolution 1044 invited the British Government which was the administering authority to take such steps as necessary to bring about the union.”
He continued: “So, if a Trust Territory, being ruled by the UN and a colony being ruled by Britain are to come into union, what do you do? You have to sit the two of them down for them to determine what type of government they want to have, what will be their responsibilities, obligations and benefits. No such thing was done.”
Responding to these claims by the former MP, Baako quoted excerpts of Kosi Kedem’s book which highlight his correspondence with the United Nations, British government and the Attorney-General office which form the basis of his assertions that Ghana does not exist legally.
He is of the view that, based on the exchanges between Kedem and the aforementioned institutions, any argument that the state of Ghana does not exist is flawed.
“He (Kosi) made some enquires and said that Ghana does not have an acceptable union act....This is proven by an official document listed below....The conclusion is based on correspondence between him and some UN office,” Kweku Baako said on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show on Wednesday, September 30.
The reply from the UN read by Kweku Baako states “…please be informed that we didn’t find anything in our database regarding a Ghana-Togoland union act. It means this act has never been registered so we cannot provide a certified copy. I made some research in the UN library and I found some documents I hope will help you.”
He, then, read the reply Kedem got from the Attorney-General in 2008 on the same request for document on the union agreement between Ghana and Trans-Volta Togoland.
“I’m not so sure that there was union act. The information you seek could be contained in an amending legislation after the plebiscite as the result of which what is now the Volta Region became part of Ghana. They gave him a number of legislations.
“I remember that in the early 1950s, a delegation from the Trans-Volta Togoland went to the UN General Assembly and their petition led to the plebiscite. The issue of Togoland joining Ghana will clearly have been dealt with by an order in council,” Kweku Baako noted.
Kosi Kedem also petitioned the British government and their response as read by Kweku Baako said, “we have considered the issues you raised and it is apparent that we fulfilled our UN mandate with regards to Western Togoland including the organization of the plebiscite in 1956 and the subsequent enactment of the results of that plebiscite.
“We recognize the current constituted state of Ghana and do not agree that the area which was formerly British Togoland has been marginalized in independent Ghana”.
