The Asogli State Council which comprises a small group of traditional areas in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region has waded into the creation of a new region out of the Volta Region.
According to the Council which is headed by the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, they would ‘resist’ any attempt to create the proposed Oti Region out of the existing Volta Region should ‘due process’ be ignored by the key actors.
Addressing the press in Ho recently, the Warlord of Asogli, Togbe Adzi Lakle Howusu XII said although the Council was not against the creation of the Oti Region, they would not allow the creation to destroy the ‘Sanctity of Eweland’.
He said the Council owed it to the people of the region to protect the ‘Sanctity of Eweland’ by ensuring all Voltarians voted in the referendum as suggested by the Constitution.
Togbe Howusu further argued that since the creation of the Oti Region might lead to the alteration of the existing boundaries of the Volta Region, it was only prudent that the entire Volta Region was allowed to partake in the referendum since its outcome would affect all inhabitants of the region and not those who are calling for the creation of the Oti Region.
He explained: “In our view, it will be unconstitutional, unfair and against natural justice to limit the referendum to a minority in the region leaving out the voices of the majority of Voltarians.”
Referring to chapter two of the Constitution, Togbe Howusu said “our Constitution provides, among others, that there should be a referendum to approve: a) the creation of a new region; b) the alteration of the boundaries of a region, whether or not the alteration involves the creation of a new region.”
He added: “It is obvious that the creation of new regions will result in the alteration of existing boundaries. Indeed, if one of the issues to be decided in such a referendum is the boundary of a new region, then it is difficult to see how voting could be limited to only people within an assumed boundary and not the entire region.”
He alleged that reports of malpractices going on in the limited voter registration taking place in the Oti area was not good for the region. He therefore appealed to all concerned to ‘uphold the truth’.
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