'Welcome to Western Togoland' signboard erected near Somanya

A signboard believed to have been erected by members of the Volta separatist, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) has been sighted at Akorley near Somanya in the Eastern Region.

It is uncertain when the signboard, bearing the “flag” of the group, was erected.

The signboard also bear the inscriptions “Welcome to Western Togoland” for travellers heading towards Somanya from Accra, and “You are leaving Western Togoland” for travellers travelling in the opposite direction.

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.

The leader of Western Togoland independence, Charles Kormi Kudzodzi, announced the separation of Western Togoland from Ghana after a meeting in the Volta Regional capital, Ho.

After that announcement, some members of the group were arrested after they were alleged to have engaged in activities to champion the cause of the group.

On December 30, 2019, the Northern Regional Police arrested 18 people suspected to be part of the separatist group.

The arrest followed intelligence that some members of the alleged separatist group from Kpassa were holding a meeting in a primary school in Bimbila, with the aim of recruiting some youth to assist in their secessionist activities.

A joint military and police team was then deployed to the scene to arrest the 18 people.

On December 1, last year, the police in the Upper East Region also arrested 10 people said to be connected to the secessionist group.