WAS WESTERN TOGOLAND TERRITORY STOLEN BY GHANA ????.

LEST WE FORGET: Ghana ‘s Independence Was Tangent on the Independence of Western Togoland.

A careful scrutiny of the above video would bring to the fore, an incredible but carefully concealed point of interest being echoed by the speaker of the first UN General Assembly Session at which newly independent Ghana was admitted as member shortly after her independence from colonial Britain in 1957.
Indeed Ghana was admitted into the UN after promising to abide by all the principles governing membership including rectifying the charter on the issue of Western Togoland.

” The purpose which the United Nations seeks to achieve and the principles which guide it’s activities, will not be strange to the people of Ghana, for it was in full conformity with those purposes and principles including the FULFILMENT OF THE PURPOSES OF THE TRUSTEESHIP SYSTEM WHICH SPEAKS OF THE TRUSTEESHIP OF THE TERRITORY OF BRITISH TOGOLAND UNDER BRITISH ADMINISTRATION- It was in full conformity with all those principles and purposes that assistance was given to Ghana and her people to achieve statehood and to take their place in the community of nations.”
A further scrutiny of the statement made by the speaker as quoted above, should expose the insincerity and wanton disregard for the principles and purposes the speaker outlined as the part said vividly about the fulfilment of the trusteeship of the territory under British administration was never meant to be as has been the case since Ghana attained independence till date.

It is clear per what the speaker said in the video that both Ghana and Western Togoland attained independence at the same time, ie at the dawn of March 6.1957, but what became of Western Togoland, the freedoms and liberties of her people have over the years been trampled upon without cause with the UN and other World bodies looking on unconcerned.

Let it be stated defacto here that, at the time of granting independence to the Gold Coast, Togoland was a UN Trust Territory which was administered by Britain on behalf of the UN.

Togoland was not a British colony, Britain was just holding it in trust for the UN- to that extent, the UN Charter and Trusteeship Agreement on Togoland took precedence over the Gold Coast (Constitution) Order in Council, 1954. We cannot do justice to this issue without touching on Ghana’s independence Act and the Gold Coast Constitution at the time.

With regards to Togoland, British laws and ordinances were inferior to and “subject to the provisions of the United Nations Charter and of the Trusteeship Agreement on British Togoland Article.

Britain should have sought and obtained permission from the UN before including British Togoland or any part of it in the 1954 Gold Coast Constitution – What was more, the 1957 Ghana Independence Act violated the principles of retroactive legislation.

It must be noted that the British Togoland, on the pretext of quelling a rebellion there, was invaded and occupied by Britain and the CPP Government around 4th March 1957.

One may well recollect the brutal Alavanyo/Kpando crisis! After the occupation, British Togoland was subsequently forcibly integrated with independent Gold Coast (Ghana) on March 6 1957.

Through this forcible integration British Togoland lost its national identity, dignity and inalienable rights.

Sir Charles Noble Arden-Clarke, the last Governor of the Gold Coast, described this as the triumph of Gold Coast imperialism. “I am glad that Gold Coast imperialism has won,” he said at the time.

Definitely, the imposition of Gold Coast imperialism on British Togoland was wrong and contrary to UN’s Charter and principles.
Note that UN resolutions 944(X) and 1044(XI) resolved that there should be a UNION, similar to England/Scotland model, not forcible integration like the Morocco/Saharawi model. Remember that the people of Togoland voted for union, not forcible integration or occupation. But what Britain installed on March. 6, 1957 was not a union but forcible integration.

How can the British Togoland Question be solved?

It is very clear that the British Togoland Question can only be solved if, and only if, the UNION (England/Scotland model) that was cited by UN Resolution 944(X); voted for by the people of British Togoland in the May 9 1956 Togoland Plebiscite and approved by UN Resolution 1044(XI) is accepted, respected and implemented to the letter. This must be the concern of Britain, Ghana, the UN and the International Community if they really wish to rectify the situation.

But it is necessary to ensure that the resolution of this Togoland Question should be done peacefully through negotiation, dialogue, due process and diplomacy devoid of state arbitrary behavior, harassment, prosecution and intimidation as those were the principles and purposes for which the United Nations (UN) was founded and membership granted to Ghana and other Free and Independent nations across the World.

Issued by The People’s Liberation Council (PLC) communications bureau.