Government discovers two new secessionist groups

Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Minister of National Security has disclosed that the security agencies have discovered two new secessionist groups.

Providing updates on the nation’s quest to quell activities of the secessionist groups in Parliament, Kan-Dapaah said that two new groups have joined the ‘criminal course’.

He said that the two groups, Western Togoland Restoration

Read full articleFront (WTRF) and the People’s Liberation Council have added to the Homeland Study Group Foundation as the groups demanding separation from Ghana.

“Mr. Speaker, activities of secessionist groups advocating for an independent Western Togoland have increased in recent times. Until recently, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) had been the foremost group spearheading the secessionist agenda. However, some criminal splinter groups have sprung up. They include the Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF) and the People’s Liberation Council (PLC),” he noted.

On September 25, 2020, some members believed to be part of the secessionist groups launched coordinated attacks on two police stations in the Volta Region and also blocked some major roads.

The government and security agencies came under attack for intelligent failure and not being proactive.

But Kan Dapaah insists the response of the security agencies was effective.

“The events of 25 September 2020, where members of the Western Togoland Restoration Front, mounted simultaneous attacks at Aveyime and Mepe Police Stations and blocked the Juapong-Accra and Sogakope-Accra main roads remain fresh in our minds. State security and intelligence agencies responded effectively in dealing with the threats posed by the Western Togoland Restoration Front.”

Despite these remarks by the National Security Minister, a member of Parliament’s Defense and Interior Committee, James Agalga maintains that intelligent gathering was lax and must be improved next time.

“Mr. Speaker the point I’d like to make is that the government’s own position that it had intelligence on the subject prior to the attack could have resulted in a more proactive way on the part of our security agency in foiling the attack,” he said.

He continued, “But Mr Speaker the attack that was launched was very brazen…I think that moving forward, we should be more proactive when intelligence is gathered…”