Release 52 citizens arrested for alleged roles in secessionist attacks in Volta Region - www.asempanews.com

The Chiefs and people of the Volta and Oti Regions are requesting the government to release some 52 youths arrested in connection with violent attacks on some state installations in the Volta Region.

This was one of the 10 recommendations contained in a report compiled by the National Peace Council after a wide consultation in the Volta and Oti Regions concerning alleged ethnic-based discrimination and marginalization of people of Eʋe origin.

Release 52 citizens arrested for alleged roles in secessionist attacks in Volta RegionThe report compiled by the National Peace Council.Participants at the consultative forums raised concerns about citizenship discrimination, negative stereotyping, inefficient educational infrastructure, discrimination against Eʋes in employment in the public sector, underdevelopment of the two regions, security, harassment and violence.

“The said law should prohibit recruitment and appointment to public offices of people from the same ethnic group beyond the percentage point for the largest ethnic group in Ghana, regulate the ethnic composition of officials deployed to the countryside during national exercises with the percentage point of the largest ethnic group as the benchmark or ceiling and criminalize ethnic-based negative stereotyping, harassment and abuse”.

The recommendations also included a call on the government to complete all educational infrastructure projects in the Volta and Oti Regions, “ensure fair and adequate distribution of teaching and learning materials, ensuring fair distribution of personnel and support this with motivation and incentive packages”.

The proponents want the Government of Ghana to ensure that clean, scientific and environmentally friendly technologies are deployed in the mining of mineral resources in the Volta and Oti Regions and undertake contracts that would be of immense benefit to landowners and communities.

The leadership of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs have advocated for a fair treatment and equitable distribution of national resources to ethnic groups in the country since Ghana is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi religious and multi-culture country.