The 85-year-old secessionist leader of the Western Togolanders, Mr Charles Kudzordzi, also known as Papavi Hogbedetor, has asked the government of Ghana to show maturity and stop the arbitrary arrests and detention of members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), who ascribe to the group’s recent declaration of the Volta Region as an independent nation – Western Togoland.
“I want to tell the government of Ghana that what has started happening is not the right thing; going round arresting people in the streets, taking them and locking them up in cells and particularly taking my near-70-year-old wife and locking her up; no. That is not the right thing,” Papavi said in a short video message.
“I want the government to show maturity”, he urged, adding: “Invite me legally through my lawyers and I will present myself for the case to continue.”
He also said he was still within the jurisdiction of “the country” and has not run away.
Papavi also urged his followers “to be peaceful”, adding: “No declaration is staged without a quarrel. It is always so, but we want to set the record for peace to prevail so that the whole country knows that we are peace-loving.”
The group’s independence declaration of the region as Western Togoland was made at a public gathering of its adherents at the premises of the former Unity Rural Bank which is a few metres away from the Ho Police Training school a week ago.
It was broadcast live on Facebook. The group, which has had several brushes with the law on the matter in the past, rode on the recent omission of the Volta Region from the list of critical roads to be constructed in 2020 when the Finance Minister presented next year’s budget to Parliament, in declaring the region independent.
The government of Ghana, via a press release from Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, announced that it “takes note of the activities” of the foundation, adding: “Ghana remains a sovereign state which has not ceded any part of its territory to any person or group of persons.”
“While admonishing the public to disregard the claims by the group, the general public is hereby informed that state security agencies are taking the necessary measures to ensure that persons involved with the illegal act, are dealt with in accordance with the law.
“Ghana’s security agencies remain in firm charge of Ghana’s territory and encourage all persons to continue with their daily activities normally”, the statement said.
So far five people of the group have been arrested and arraigned.
Source: classfmonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
let the truth be told and allow him to do what is expected
An old man with full of cemetery flowers, look at what you trying to do, just to cause confusion and destabilize Ghana. If you are man enough why don’t you come forward from your pigeon hole. Some of you are the reason children don’t respect gray hair anymore
***barred word*** OLDMAN OF OUR GENERATION. TRYING TO BRING DIVISION TO MOTHER GHANA.
Concert old man! Instead of you advising the young ones as to how to employ their energies positively, you are rather leading them to be lawless. Why run away? Go and ask those who fought for independence in their countries and what they have gone through. Ask Nkrumah, Nyerere, Mugabe, Mandela, Kaunda etc.With your white hairs you are throwing tantrums. Only God knows who are hiding behind him pushing this agenda.
COWARD.Come out from your hiding place!