Don’t bring your demo against creation of new region to Hohoe - Chief warns group

Togbega Gabusu VI addressing a press conference with some Traditional leaders

The Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu VI, has cautioned the Coalition of Volta Youth not to attempt organizing a demonstration against the proposed territorial split of the Volta Region in the Hohoe Municipality. 

According to him, the Gbi Traditional Council has received information that the Coalition of Volta Youth, which organized demonstrations in Ho and Sogakofe, are planing to organize another demonstration in Hohoe. 

Addressing a press conference in Hohoe, Togbega Gabusu indicated the Hohoe Municipality and its constituents are in favour of the proposal for the creation of a new region in northern Volta, hence would not allow such exercise which would be detrimental to the proposal be organized in their jurisdiction. 

He, therefore, implored the Hohoe Police Command not to give permit to the group to organize the demonstration, to avert any chaotic scene. 

“Some people are planning to leave their communities and come demonstrate in Hohoe against the split of the region. If the Police allow those people to embark on the said demonstration, maybe some of us will lose our jobs out of it. The Gbis will not allow it, so would the rest of the traditional areas in the Hohoe Municipality.”

“We people in the Hohoe Municipality have agreed for the region to be divided, but it should not divided on ethnic lines”, he added.

Togbega Gabusu, however, opposed to the proposal for the new region to be named ‘Oti’ and advised that the proposal must be approved first before a name is decided on.

Demarcation

The proposed demarcation for the new region covers 8 districts in the northern part of the Volta Region and 4 traditional areas in the Hohoe Municipality. 

This proposed demarcation has since been opposed by some traditional areas in the municipality, with the Gbis holding the forefront in a campaign seeking to prevent the disintegration of the municipality in the quest to divide the region into two.

The Gbis also believe the demarcation was influenced by ethnicity, explaining the demarcation for the new region covers the northern part of the region which is dominated by the Twi language against the south dominated by the Ewe language.

The Chief of Gbi Wegbe, Togbe Keh, insisted that the Hohoe Municipality should be added in entirety to the new region if the proposal for the territorial split is approved. 

“...it is the stance of the Gbis that should there be the need to create a new region out of the existing Volta Region, the Hohoe Municipality should be an essential part”, he said. 

Traditional authorities from Lolobi, Fodome, Alavanyo and Akpafu were at the event to exhibit their solidarity with the Gbi Traditional Area.