“Association de Jeunes Ressortissants Togolais Residant au Ghana” (AJRTR), a Togolese youth group, has called for the sustenance of peace and tranquility in Togo.

It said the goals of Togo could not be met in the atmosphere of rancour and division and dammed the political crises that hit the country since August 2017, lasting for months.

Mr. Dansu Komlavi, AJRTR President, said this at a press briefing at Aflao in Ghana, where the AJRTR is based, with about 200 of its members, mainly youths and a number of Togolese media attending.

The press briefing was to awaken Togolese, in and outside Togo, the governing party and opposition forces, to engage in dialogue for peace and development.

It was also to serve as a wake-up call to the youth to desist from being used for violent conflicts, to know they required peace to develop as future leaders.

Opposition Demands

Demands by Togo’s oppositions groups that the country’s current constitution be set aside to stop the president from seeking re-election into office ad infinitum, for a two-term system, resulted in a deadly crisis until the ECOWAS-negotiated truce.

The group asked all to trek the ECOWAS-negotiated settlement that brought about relative peace, leading to the holding of parliamentary elections in December last year, but which the 14-member opposition group boycotted.

The Group also urges the government to adhere to its promise of having the constitution reviewed for two-terms for a president, protect the human rights and wellbeing of all citizens.

It also urged it not to renege on the responsibility of using the country’s resource for needed developmental projects under the national development programme.

“Despite our differences we are one people united by one nation and can come together through dialogue, not by conflict”, the Group said.

Path of Democracy

The AJRTR urged all, including the government and the opposition to pursue and deepen the path of democracy in Togo to accelerate development and unity.

It commended the government of Ghana and other West African Heads of State and the ECOWAS Commission for guiding the country back on the path of peace and tranquillity during the months-long crisis.

The group also asked the Togolese President, Faure Gnassingbe Esdorzima and his government to have a strong heart to lead the country out of the crisis.

Mr. Dansu was supported by other executives of the group including Mr. Yao Gator, the Youth Wing Leader.

Source: GNA