By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |
The Asogli State Council has cautioned government and all key actors in the creation of the proposed Oti Region out of the Volta Region to adhere to the 1992 constitution for peace to prevail.
The Council believed the processes so far from the commission of enquiry to the limited voter registration exercise and the proposed referendum later this year to determine the creation of the new region had not been fair to citizens at the southern and middle belt of the region who are in the majority.
Addressing a press conference in Ho on Tuesday, Togbe Adzi Lakle Howusu XII, Warlord of Asogli said the Council fears this unconstitutional manner in which the process is being carried out can pose a threat to the peace currently being enjoyed in the region and demands that the authorities go by constitutional means.
“We find these developments worrisome and therefore wish to state our position unequivocally that the creation of the Oti region involves the alteration of the existing boundaries of the Volta Region. Therefore, the entire Volta Region must be allowed to take part in the referendum and it must not be limited to only the area earmarked for the Oti Region.”
He said creation of new regions results in alteration of existing boundaries arguing, “if one of the issues to be decided in such a referendum is the boundary of a new region, then it is difficult to see how voting could be limited to only people within an assumed boundary and not the entire region.”
The Council on behalf of the chiefs and people of Asogli and their brothers in the south said they are not against the creation of the proposed Oti Region but only demanding that due process be followed as provided for in chapter 2 of the Constitution.
The Council added that they are not exerting or attempting to exert dominion over those in the Oti enclave.
“We also want to add that the Ewes have never sought domination over the other tribes in the region, even though we are in the majority. Volta’s population comprises: Ewes 73.8%, Akans 2.8%, Ga Dangme 1.5%, Guan 8.1%, Gruma 11.3%, others 2.5%. But out of the six regional ministers we have had since 2001, three were non-Ewes from the northern part of the region: Hon. Kwasi Owusu-Yeboah, the late Hon. Henry Ford Kamel and Hon. Helen Ntoso.”
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com
