London, Sep. 28, 2020 (AltAfrica)-Details emerging from last Friday’s invasion of parts of the Volta Region indicate that Ghana is now dealing with three secessionist groups.

Per reports, the initial group has now been split into three though they all have the same objective of seceding from Ghana.

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Ghanaians have become concerned about the composition of the secessionists after the orchestrators of Friday’s attack mounted flags with a different design from previous ones.

The existing flag, which according to reports represents the wing being led by Papavi is made up of red, blue, white and green colours with the symbol of a handshake at the centre.

The new flag which was hoisted by the perpetrators of Friday’s violence, has red, white and green as it colours with a cat seated on a stool at the centre.

According to Sampson Lardi Ayenini of Multimedia, reports suggest that the Ghana secessionist groups are now three but share a common aim of breaking away from the west African country

Speaking about the implications of what he describes as the most successful operations by a secessionist group in West Africa, security expert Professor Aning explained that it will bring the group together and embolden them.

He noted that the groups will now have wings that will lead mediation with government and a wing which will carry out their attacks.

Commenting on the arrest of the 31 suspected members and the killing of a woman suspected to be a member of the group, Kwesi Aning said “When groups spill blood, that blood acts as a cohesive bond because they now all realise they may not survive. This is serious business”.

Professor Aning has however warned against the use of force as the best way of handling the issue, proposing mediation between the groups and government.

“In the negotiation process, there is give and take. You don’t just use the law to punish people. The history of secessionism and the way these issues have been resolved does not speak to that (using force).

In Liberia and Sierra and other affected nations, talking to those who feel excluded and have lifted arms against the state does not show weakness on the part of the state”, Professor Aning told Joy News.

What may have spurred the Western Togoland turf war – Awoemefia’s Spokesperson hints

The whole brouhaha about Ghana secessionist groups and eventual creation of an independent nation, may have emerged as a result of accumulated feelings of marginalisation by some sections of the Volta Region the Spokesperson to the King of the Anlo State, Togbi Sri III has suggested.

Though Tobgi Kumassah maintains that the Anlos have never been a part of Togoland and have neither joined in the breakaway efforts over time by the secessionists, he however believes their actions might have some rooted reasons.

Speaking to GhanaWeb in an exclusive interview, Togbi Kumassah said, “The treatment given to Voltarians, we seem to be marginalized. That might be one reason. That we feel that the way we are being treated as aliens, on our own land by some people, in authority, makes the people feel like when they are on their own, it will be better.”

The Agbotadua to the Togbi Tay Agbozo stool was however emphatic about the fact that not all Ewes are involved in the demands for a separation.

He, among other things, explained how some members of Ewe groups including Ho and Kpando who voted during the 50s for a separation, couldn’t have their demands met because they were in the minority.

The Anlos however, he insists, were already a part of the Gold Coast before the plebiscite, hence, “couldn’t have been a part of the process back then.”

“Togoland was a mandated territory. The French and British Togoland were one under the Germans. When Africa was partitioned in Berlin in 1884, Togoland was given to the Germans but during the first World War; 1914 to 1918, Germany was defeated and the colony was taken from them.

“Because it was a colony taken out of war, it was divided into two; French and British Togoland, but the boundary does not include Anlo. Anlo became part of the Gold Coast in 1874. But the first World War came in 1914, so we were already part of the Gold Coast. Just Kpetoe area, to Kpedze, they were the former German colony now called British Togoland.

“So Papavi Hogbedetor, including Anlo as part of Western Togoland is not correct.
“We were never part of German colony, the Germans never ruled us. The only thing is that they brought education and church; the E.P is a German church and the church also opened schools. That was how far they went. The boundary is in Lome – Aflao so we were never part.

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