For the second time in four years, members of a group calling itself the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) have been arrested by the Police in Ho in the Volta Region.
On both occasions, the group has been accused of attempting to declare the Volta Region as an independent state.
On the first occasion, the group members were charged with treason but were later cautioned and discharged.
In the latest arrest, members of the HSGF were rounded up as soon as they finished a meeting that was supposed to be part of preparations towards the formal declaration of an independent state.
Published elsewhere in this edition, the Ghanaian Times reports that 81 members of the group have so far been rounded up and more suspects are likely to be arrested.
Led by an 85-year-old chairman, Charles Kormi Kudzodzi, the group said to be insisting on the secession of the Volta, parts of the Northern, North East, Oti and Upper East regions from Ghana to become the Western Togoland.
According to the group, the Gold Coast voted to be a unitary state on July 12, 1956 while the Western Togoland voted to be a union of Ghana on July 9, 1956 but the union has still not been established.
The group was therefore preparing to declare the area as an independent state on May 9 when the Police swooped on them in the Volta Regional capital, Ho.
We are concerned about the latest development and this on and off secession saga and urge the government to find a quick solution to the demands of the group.
Examples are abound across the world where secessionist and separatist groups start these agitations in very small ways that escalate into full blown conflicts.
We have the troubles in Northern Nigeria, English speaking part of Cameroon, Niger, South Sudan and many parts of Africa to contend with.
We do not expect our situation to escalate to the levels found in other countries.
Our situation is not comparable to that of our neighbouring countries and our national constitution frowns on any such divisive actions.
We therefore urge the government to take decisive actions against the group so as not to allow their actions to destabilise the country.
Ghana is a peaceful country bequeathed to us by our forebears through their blood and sweat and we must continue to stay together as one country, one people with a common destiny.
