IN SUPPORT OF PROF ANING’S VIEWS FOR GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT NEGOTIATIONS TOWARDS THE WESTERN TOGOLAND REVOLT.  “WHY DOES IT MATTER HOW WE DEFINE CONFLICT AND ITS CAUSES?”

The said “Western Togoland” was formally part of the then German Togoland but now an integral part of the Republic of Ghana. The area is currently divided into five regions of Ghana namely: Volta, Oti, Northern, North East and Upper East Regions. The so-called Western Togoland has been a member state of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) since 2017.
The territory was established by Germany as the Togoland protectorate in 1884 however in 1914 during the First World War, Britain and France invaded the protectorate after the German defeat. During that period the Treaty of Versailles was signed that made, the western part of Togoland a British mandate, and therefore became British Togoland. After the Second World War British Togoland became a United Nations Trust Territory that was under British administration. In 1957 most of the territory voted in a referendum to become part of Ghana.  
 The Area in Green is then Western Togoland (The southern half is the areas active for separatist activities)
After the euphoria of independence was over, some voices which did not support being part of Ghana started growing. These silent voices obviously gathered momentum and on 9th May 2017 the Homeland Study Group Foundation (French: Fondation du Groupe d'étude de la Patrie) unsuccessfully tried to declare independence.  In response to the secessionist attempt, the Ghana Police Service was reported to have arrested the 8 leaders of the Study Group Foundation for attempts of secession. There are rumors of the group having its own militia which was rejected by the supposed national executive of the Volta separatist group, Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), Emmanuel Agbavor.
On 25th September 2020, the secessionists attacked several police stations in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region and ordered Ghana Security forces out of Volta Region. The secessionists under the leadership of Togbe Yesu Kwabla Edudzi II are said to have released a press statement demanding Ghanaian authorities to come to the negotiation table to be facilitated by the United Nations. Their request also included the immediate release of all detainees due to their struggle, and the immediate termination of all related court proceedings.
The conflict between separatist and the Ghana government can be described as protracted. Over the years, there has being resentment to being part of Ghana by a handful of people and the fact is that the vote to become part of Ghana was not unanimous. While there have not being excessive violent confrontations until quite recently, there have being arrests and pending court proceeding against some separatist members. Almost all previous interventions to the conflict reflected the realist theoretical view which often involves the use of force. Thus, the assumption of a state of anarchy and the need to restore social order leading to the deployment of police and military to bring the situation under control.
As indicated by Morgenthau (1967) and other realist theorist, society is governed by objective laws that are rooted in human nature. They emphasize the need to understand and somewhat accept the legal frameworks of the state in order to improve society. This form of intervention success has often range from inadequate to ineffective, as local communities and groups with the secessionists’ agenda have forcefully resisted coercion by violently clashing with authorities and recently taking over government installations, major roads and armory to demand reforms. I wish to state that realist approach is a short-term approach towards restoring peace and confidence in the area. However, in the long-term I lean towards and support the views of Prof Aning for government to adopt negotiation as part of the approach to address the crisis. When people have demands and they feel that their needs are not being met, there is resentment and deterrence fails.