I'm Homeless..I Sleep On The Streets - Togbe Gabusu

The Paramount chief of Gbi Traditional area, Togbega Gabusu says he sleeps on the street a year after deadly clashes on 11 June, 2012 at Hohoe, the capital of the Hohoe Municipality in the Volta Region. Property and wares were destroyed during the skirmishes. Many people also sustained various degrees of injury as a result of clashes between the Gbi people, indigenes of Hohoe and the Zongo community at Hohoe. Violence erupted after indigenes exhumed the corpse of the Chief Imam of the area. The Muslim settlers vandalized the chief�s palace, torched his vehicles and other property, and also destroyed shops and property of indigenes. The indigenes, in retaliation, burnt shops belonging to the Zongo people and some houses until the security forces moved in to restore order. Although calm has returned to the area, Togbega Gabusu stressed that �there is no total peace in Hohoe.� Speaking in an interview with Ho-based U.S FM Togbega Gabasu explained that �the relative peace being enjoyed in the area is out of the respect for authority by the indigenes of Gbi. �The police in Hohoe are forcing us to swallow bitter pills. I am a lion so nobody should take my leniency as a weakness, that one I will not accept it,� he emphasized, adding that �are you kidding me there can be no peace without justice.� Togbega Gabasu expressed sadness with government�s inability to reconstruct his palace, which was vandalized and also compensate the families of the two persons who were shot dead during the clashes. �It is pathetic that one year after the incident, I still sleep on the streets and my siblings who hitherto stayed with me are perching with others.� The chief said though the Gbi traditional council wrote to the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) requesting a copy of the report submitted by Justice Patrick Baayeh�s committee, which was tasked to investigate the clashes, they are yet to receive a response from the VRCC. He added that the VRCC failed to acknowledge receipt of the written request, adding that �this continues to fuel the pain in our hearts.� Togbega Gabusu however commended the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Dr. Margaret Quarcoo for her continued support. He therefore urged the government to speed up the peace process by fulfilling the promises made to the people of Gbi during the conflict, else the relative peace too would fade away. Alhasan Ibn Batuta, Spokesperson for the Hohoe Zongo community, who also spoke to the same station, alluded to Togbega�s assertion but expressed the hope that the authorities would take steps to ensure total peace in the area. He also disclosed that since the incident last year, members of the Zongo community bury their dead at Kpando. The Regional Minister Nii Laryeah Afotey Agbo explained that the delay in expediting the peace process was due to the demise of the former Regional Minister, Henry Ford Kamel, new appointments and the reshuffling of ministers. That notwithstanding, he said he had seen the recommendations and visited the traditional area to offer explanations to Togbe Gabusu. He revealed that processes to reconstruct Togbe�s house were underway and that the contractor would soon move to site. A tour of the township on Tuesday revealed that the security agencies had besieged the area to prevent clashes. Most of the shops were closed as traditional leaders of Gbi poured libation to commemorate the day. The Zongo community, on the other hand, prayed at the Mosque to commemorate the day. Residents told DAILY GUIDE that they observed the day in sober manner.