Former President John Dramani Mahama says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not serious about solving the Western Togoland secession campaign being spearheaded by some groups.
According to Mr Mahama, instead of President Akufo-Addo showing some seriousness about the issues, he is rather moving about "commissioning compost plants."
Speaking via a Facebook live interaction whilst campaigning in Sunyani in the Bono Region Thursday morning, Mr Mahama said it is time President Akufo-Addo showed more commitment in handling the situation.
"It looks like the whole government is not serious about this, the President is not serious about it."
"No senior person has gone to the area since this thing happened. The Minister of National Security, when this thing was very topical..., he should have gone to the area to boost the morale of the security services there, instead he was in Kumasi with the President commissioning a compost plant."
"What does Minister of National Security have to be in Kumasi with the President for? On a compost plant, instead of going where people are trying to cede part of your territory."
"There is nothing more serious than trying to break up parts of a country. And as I'm saying they are not taking this seriously."
Reacting to a statement by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that the security was on top of the issue and that as a President, he was not panicking about the moves by the secessionist campaigners, Mr Mahama said:
"...[its not about saying] I'm president I should not panic, if I panic the country will panic, it is not about panic, it is about taking an issue seriously. Nobody says panic, nobody is trying to panic you. I don't know [but it looks like] the whole government, the security service, it is like they have a very lackadaisical attitude towards the issue of Western Togoland," Mr Mahama said.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has said the government will deal with the secessionist groups.
Commenting publicly on Thursday, October 1, 2020 on the matter since reports of the groups’ violent actions in the Volta Region began this year, President Akufo-Addo said the government will adequately deal with secessionist groups making claims for an independent state within Ghana.
He said he trusts in the ability of Ghana’s security and intelligence agencies to stop such threats and clamp down on activities of the secessionists.