Members of the Volta separatist, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) on Friday dawn blocked some roads in the Volta Region of Ghana.
The police in a message on social media urged commuters to and from Accra to Ho, Aveyime, Adidome, Mepe, Akuse, Sogakope and Aflao to exercise caution as they were likely to experience traffic due to security operations within those areas.
“Anybody travelling on any of these roads should exercise caution,” the police message said.
The HSGF, a group championing the secession of parts of Ghana along the border with Togo, declared independence for the territory they call ‘Western Togoland’ on November 16, 2019.
Their action of blocking the roads on Friday morning, they said were part of their agitations for independence from Ghana.
At Tefle and Juapong, the group amidst the burning of vehicle tyres and chanting of war songs took over the road and prevented vehicles from moving across.
Their action, which was simultaneously replicated in other parts started the action at dawn.
Travelers on the Accra-Sogakope road for instance were not able to move and were stranded.
The situation created traffic at both areas of the roads.
In one of the areas at Aveyime, some three police officers were reportedly detained by the separatist group and two of them were reportedly injured.
One member of the separatist group in a radio interview with Accra based Joy FM said “by God’s grace we have three of them [policemen] in our custody. I may say two of them are injured, one is alright.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa in a radio interview with Accra based Joy FM said he was coordinating the activities of the security personnel and that the situation would be brought under control.
He urged those stuck in traffic to exercise some patience as the security personnel will soon bring the situation under control and clear the roads for the traffic to flow.
One eyewitness in a radio interview on Accra based Citi FM said in the Juapong area, thousands of cement blocks were put on the road and the first vehicles that chanced on the blockage, the mobile phones of those who were on board the vehicles were seized from them to prevent them from calling the security agencies.
Subsequently, all other vehicles that followed couldn’t get close to the exact spot of the blockade.
The eyewitness said around 5:30am, the police and the army officers came around to rescue the situation and when they came there, the separatist group were in the bush.
Around 6am, they reportedly emerged from the bush and walked away. The eyewitness said they were young boys aged between 15 and 18 and one elderly person who was about 45 years.
As of 7am, the Tema-Akosombo road had been cleared between Kpong and Atimpoku according to the eyewitness.
He said the separatist members hoisted their flags and inscriptions some of which read, “we are taking over our land” in the area.
At Sogakope, some stranded passengers said they heard gunshots and were scared to go near the separatist group.
more to follow…
Source: www.graphic.com.gh
