The victim
Two tricycle operators have been arrested following a clash between some operators and students of Atwima Kwanwoma Senior High School at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region.
One person was reportedly injured in the confrontation, which occurred during the school’s entertainment week celebration.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about security on the school premises, with the headmaster, Mr. Clement Asambire, blaming the recurring confrontations partly on the absence of a perimeter fence wall.
Mr. Asambire, who confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE, said it was not the first time students and tricycle operators had engaged in such a confrontation on the school compound.
According to him, the absence of a fence wall had created several unauthorised access routes into the school, allowing tricycle operators to enter the premises without using the main entrance and sometimes causing trouble.
He disclosed that the school currently had only three security guards responsible for both day and night duties, making it difficult to provide adequate security for students and staff.
The headmaster also raised concerns over the continuous encroachment on the school’s lands, warning that the situation could deprive the institution of land needed for future infrastructural development.
He further lamented the school’s inadequate classroom and accommodation facilities, revealing that some classrooms had been converted into girls’ dormitories to address the shortage of sleeping facilities.
He said the school had also resorted to temporary classrooms where benches were being used as chairs, a situation he described as inimical to effective teaching and learning.
Mr. Asambire appealed to the GETFund Secretariat, the District Assembly, the MP’s Common Fund, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), old students and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support the school with the needed infrastructure.
He said the construction of a perimeter fence wall, additional classrooms and dormitories would help address the school’s pressing challenges and improve security.
Meanwhile, the Trede District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Vincent Appiah, confirmed the clash and disclosed that two tricycle operators had been arrested pending investigations.
He said the police intended to organise a stakeholders’ engagement involving the school authorities, traditional authorities, tricycle operators and the police administration to find a lasting solution to the recurring confrontations.
Chief Superintendent Appiah expressed hope that the engagement would help address the concerns of all parties and prevent further clashes between the students and tricycle operators.
FROM David Afum, Trede