PRESS RELEASE from Anlo Youth Council

Anlo Youth Council has uncovered a plot by some individuals placed in position of public trust to have Francis Seth Lumorvi Nyonyo Atitsogbui Agboada gazetted as Togbui Sri III of the Anlo Traditional Area. They have resorted to employing very corrupt but determined measures to achieve their parochial interest to the detriment of the prevailing peace and security in the Anlo Traditional Area.

Following the November 1, 2007 bloodbath in Anloga was a restraining order from the Accra Fast Track High Court which was effected by substitution through the print and the electronic media restraining the parties involved in the installation from proceeding any further (Saturday, November 3, 2007 edition of the Daily Graphic). This was followed by a front page story of Wednesday, November 14, 2007 with Francis Seth Lumorvi Nyonyo Atitsogui Agboada offering to abdicate his ambition on the altar of peace.

Since these important developments, Anlo Youth Council has noticed with grave concern clandestine or surreptitious efforts by some unscrupulous individuals in high places who have been making some untoward moves in their attempt to aid Lumorvi to attain what is completely unattainable and beyond his reach.

One of such individuals is the Regional Registrar of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Mr. A.K. Ahiaba, who surreptitiously inserted the venerated title Togbui Sri III as the President of the Anlo Traditional Council on the list of Presidents of Traditional Councils in the Volta Region meant for the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture. We find this as against the Court order of the Accra Fast Track Court.

We also consider this action as criminal and a blatant attempt to now resort to intrigues to impose Francis Seth Lumorvi Nyonyo Atitsogbui Agboada on the people of Anlo. We believe this has the potential to disturb the prevailing peace in the Anlo Traditional Area, particularly Anloga.

We are, therefore, calling on this unscrupulous man to return to the records to critically update himself on developments in Anlo since November 1, 2007. He should further resort to the traditions and customs of Anlo people to dispel his ignorance or otherwise about our rich culture and traditions. Anlo Youth Council will like to state in no uncertain terms that Anlos cherish the peace prevailing over the entire Anlo Traditional Area currently and any attempt to stoke the fires again will be resisted fiercely even at the peril of our lives.

They should further be reminded that the power of the stool resides in the people of Anlo and government and its agents including the judiciary will never succeed in their efforts to usurp the power of Anlos to enstool their own Awomefia.

In a related development, Anlo Youth Council will like to thank the President, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufour, for taking such a bold step in relieving Mr. Kwamena Bartels of his ministerial appointment. Bartels has for a long time been an embarrassment to the government and the people of Ghana, especially those with penchant for the truth. It is hoped that his successor, Hon. Addo Kufour, would do due diligence by going through the records to understand the issues involved in the Anlo State very well before making any decisions on Anlo. Anlo Youth Council stands ready to offer free professional services, in whatever manner the minister might require to aid in his understanding of Anlo issues. We may also use the opportunity to offer to organize a workshop/meeting for him and his staff on Anlo matters at the ministry.

Finally, the call is again going out to the Kufour administration to take urgent steps to remove the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Bernard Guyiri Dery, from his post as the regional commander due to his political stances and biased complicity in the Anlo issue. This should be followed by an Independent Commission of Enquiry to investigate and report on events before, during and after Thursday, November 1, 2007.

Attached is the intercepted criminal list of Presidents of Traditional Councils in the Volta Region signed by A.K. Ahiaba