Details emerging from last Friday’s invasion of parts of the Volta Region indicate that Ghana is now dealing with three secessionist groups.

Per reports, the initial group has now been split into three though they all have the same objective of seceding from Ghana.

Ghanaians have become concerned about the composition of the secessionists after the orchestrators of Friday’s attack mounted flags with a different design from previous ones.

The existing flag, which according to reports represents the wing being led by Papavi is made up of red, blue, white and green colours with the symbol of a handshake at the centre.

The new flag which was hoisted by the perpetrators of Friday’s violence, has red, white and green as it colours with a cat seated on a stool at the centre.

According to Sampson Lardi Ayenini of Multimedia, reports suggest that the groups are now three but share a common aim of breaking away from Ghana.

Speaking about the implications of what he describes as the most successful operations by a secessionist group in West Africa, security expert Professor Aning explained that it will bring the group together and embolden them.

He noted that the groups will now have wings that will lead mediations with government and a wing which will carry out their attacks.

“These are three groups that are competing for the sympathy of their potential supporters. We’ve seen two different flags. What will happen post-yesterday (Friday) is that the success of their actions will bring them hopefully together in which there will a wing that leads the negotiations and a wing willing to use violence.

Commenting on the arrest of the 31 suspected members and the killing of a woman suspected to be a member of the group, Kwesi Aning said “When groups spill blood, that blood acts as a cohesive bond because they now all realise they may not survive. This is serious business”.

Professor Aning has however warned against the use of force as the best way of handling the issue, proposing mediation between the groups and government.

“In the negotiation process, there is give and take. You don’t just use the law to punish people. The history of secessionism and the way these issues have been resolved does not speak to that (using force). In Liberia and Sierra and other affected nations, talking to those who feel excluded and have lifted arms against the state does not show weakness on the part of the state”, Professor Aning told Joy News.