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Some Chiefs in the Volta region has registered their displeasure over the creation of the Oti region.
In a statement copied to various stakeholders the chiefs particularly those of Akpafu and Lolobi have also denied ever endorsing the creation of the new region contrary to media reports.
Find a full statement containing their position from below:
12th September 2018
The Chairwoman
Electoral Commission
Accra,
Dear Madam,
THE POSITION OF AKPAFU AND LOLOBI TRADITIONAL AREAS ON
THE PROPOSED ‘OTI REGION’
It has become imperative for us to write to the Electoral Commission of Ghana as a result of media
reports making the rounds that the Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas has purportedly endorsed
the petition championed by the Paramount Chief of the Krachi Traditional Area, Nana Mprah
Besemuna, together with other Chiefs from eight (8) districts in the northern part of the Volta Region
for the creation of the Oti Region.
The Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Council have noted with grave alarm that we have been included
in an electoral area created by the electoral commission without our concern. We have also noted
that our electoral areas are being prepared for limited registration in the forth coming referendum on
the creation of the proposed Oti region.
We the Mawus or Siwu speaking people (The Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas) after a lot of
consultations with the ordinary citizenry home and abroad, Town hall meetings, technical reports,
have arrived at the decision to reject any association with the petitioners to join any new region to be
called Oti.
However, wish to emphasize that, the Paramount Chiefs of Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas,
and their respective Divisional Chiefs have neither participated in any meeting nor have we
sanctioned or signed any petition for or against the creation of any new region.
Indeed there has not been any formal invitation to the Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas to
participate in these deliberations preceding the writing of the petition in quest for a new ‘Oti
Region’.
Reasons why Lolobi and Akpafu Traditional Areas do not want to be part of the proposed Oti
Region.
• The Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas want to put it on record that, they have never
petitioned to be part of the new Oti Region neither in 1992 to the PNDC government nor in
2017 to the Justice Brobbey Commission.
• The 1992 constitution of Ghana does not allow political parties, regions, districts and other
groupings to be created based on tribal and ethnicity. Conspicuously, these four Traditional
Areas (the only GUANS in Hohoe Municipality) were isolated and subsequently forced into
the proposed SALL electoral area created by the Electoral Commission and placed under Oti
region.
• That voting to decide whether or not Oti region will be created should be limited to the
traditional areas who petitioned for a separate region and to areas which have shown interest
in joining the proposed region. Akpafu and Lolobi should be left alone to remain within the
Hohoe Municipal Assembly where they feel very comfortable with tribal relations.
• At a meeting held at Hohoe on the 8th day of November 2017 all the Paramount Chiefs of the
nine (9) Traditional Councils that constitutes the Hohoe Municipal Assembly; in their final
communique resolved to remain in the Municipality.
Lolobi and Akpafu for instance are giving these indisputable reasons and advantages as to why they
will remain with the Hohoe Municipality:
I. We suffered uncomfortable challenges in the past when these traditional councils were
joined first to the Jasikan district and later to the Biakoye district. The Akpafu and
Lolobi communities took a collective decision to leave the Buem-Jasikan district on
the basis of painful historical event and language barrier. The people of Buem (with 26
towns and villages) did all manner of things indicative of vindictiveness,
discrimination in various ways against us.
II. In 1941/42 Nana Aburam Akpadza, the then Paramount Chief of Buem Traditional
area sought to justify and openly supported the people of Baika after they murdered
two persons from Lolobi Ashiambi in cold blood.
III. The Lolobi, Akpafu, Likpe and Santrokofi Traditional Areas were subsequently
removed from the Buem-Jasikan districts and joined to the Biakoye- Nkonya district.
The Biakoye district was no better, for the daily business transactions even at the
district assembly deliberations, Nkonya/Twi languages were the medium of
expression/communication. Due to the above mentioned and other challenges these
four traditional areas again petitioned the government of the day to be joined to the
current Hohoe Municipal Assembly in 1978 ref. LI 1182.
• The ordinary citizen of Lolobi and Akpafu who is deficient or not proficient in English
language for example, understands better formal administrative, legal, religious and political
processes when explanation is given him/her in Ewe language. Interpretation of similar
processes in Twi/Nkonya languages and any other Guan language will be an insurmountable
challenge to our people.
• We stand to benefit better in various ways because of the proximity of Hohoe as the
administrative capital.
• To those who claim that the Municipality is controlled and managed predominantly by people
from Ewe-speaking communities and that most if not all projects, amenities and leadership
positions are in their hands, we say it’s false. We want to acknowledge the fact that Siwu
speaking communities of Akpafu and Lolobi have produced three Distric/Municipal Chief
Executives.
• We want to put it on record that even before Justice Brobbey Commission could commence
sitting, elements from Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) for Oti Region
Movement’ was formed holding secret meetings, circulating brochures, logo and map of the
said Oti Region at the blind side of the Paramount Chiefs and people of Akpafu/Lolobi
Traditional Councils.
• The Chiefs and people of Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Councils, want to know the roll if
any played by leadership of SALL in the demarcation, mapping and curling out these four
Traditional Areas out of Hohoe Municipality.
• We have also made our position clear per numerous letters/petition endorsed by the
Paramount Chiefs of Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas to the underlisted
institutions/committees:
a) Justice Brobbey Commission of Enquiry into the creation of new Regions, Accra
b) Hon. Dan Botwe, Minister of Regional Reorganization, Accra
c) Volta Regional Minister, Ho
d) Hon. Bernice Heloo-Adiku, MP for Hohoe/Accra
e) President, Regional House of Chiefs, Ho
f) Municipal Chief Executive, Hohoe
We therefore want to know why upon these numerous appeal, these institutions have condoned and
connived with unmandated groupings and individuals such as, “SALL for Oti Movement”, some
Sub-Chiefs and leaders from the two Traditional Areas. This development is creating a fertile ground
for conflicts in a once peaceful area. The entirety of the chiefs and people of the area, based on the
past antecedents have resolved to remain in the Hohoe District.
Lolobi and Akpafu are giving these indisputable reasons and advantages as to why they will remain
with the Hohoe Municipality and for that matter Volta Region. We want to know from the Electoral
Commission what criteria they are using to force Akpafu and Lolobi citizens to join Oti region, when
Justice Brobbey Commission was emphatic that it’s only the petioners/applicants who will be
considered.
In conclusion, we referent here and now that we the people of Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas
still affirmed and will continue to resist our inclusion in the pending referendum on Oti Region.
We wish finally and strongly demand, the Electoral Commission to exclude our traditional areas on
the grounds of the declaration of our position earlier submitted to the Justice Brobbey Commission at
Osu Castle Accra on the 29th January 2018. Contrary to this strong appeal, the Electoral Commission
will be held responsible for any social and political upheaval including unpleasant consequences
within the Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional communities and their neighbours.
The people of Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas are not prepared under any circumstances to be
remove from the Hohoe Municipality and added to Jasikan or any other district as being reported.
We are therefore engaging your office to address our concerns soonest and again, we as traditional
leaders and people cannot be held responsible for any breach of peace in these two Traditional areas.
Yours faithfully,
Nana Akoto Masakyi III, Nana Adu II
Paramount Chief of Lolobi Traditional Area. Head Chief of AkpafuTraditional Area
Inc.
CC:
1. Dr Bawumia Vice President, Jubilee House Accra.
2. Togbe Afede, PresidentNational House of Chiefs Accra.
3. President National Peace Council Accra
4. Most Rev Emmanuel Fianu Bishop of Ho Diocese; Ho.
5. Rt. Rev. Dr. S.K Agidi, Moderator E.P Church, Accra
6. Rt. Rev. Dr.S..K Ofori,Moderator Global Evangelical Church Tesano Accra
