Members of the Defence and Interior Committee have visited the Islamic Senior High School at Abrepo in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital following a demonstration and shooting incident that occurred in the school recently.
It would be recalled that on Tuesday 14th June 2022, the Member of Parliament for Asawase and Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, under Standing Order 72, drew the attention of the House to a police shooting incident that occurred at the Islamic Senior High School at Abrepo in Kumasi on Monday, 13th June 2022 in which some students sustained injuries.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin referred the concerns raised to the Defence and Interior for further information and report.
The Committee, led by Kennedy Agyapong visited the school to interact with the affected students and the Police.
The Headmaster of the School, Suleman Z. Yeboah, recounted how the school, since 2012 has been requesting the Urban Roads Authority to construct Speed Rumps in front of the school to minimize the rampant student knock-downs by vehicles but to no avail.
Even though the members of the Committee condemned the actions of the students by taking the laws into their own hands to demonstrate because they were being knocked down by vehicles periodically, they understood their frustrations and why they have to demonstrate for the Government and perhaps Parliament to come to their aid.
The Chairman of the Committee Kennedy Agyapong, who was not enthused about the delay of the Urban Roads in constructing the Speed Rumps, recommended for the immediate dismissal of the Regional Chief Director to serve as a deterrent to other personnel who unjustifiably delay works that might benefit the citizenry.
The Member of Parliament for Builsa North and Ranking Member of the Committee, James Agalga, used the opportunity to advise the students, especially the females to study and aim high to become Members of Parliament shortly.
The Members of the Committee whose main aim was to gather information and report back to the Speaker for further actions, interacted with the affected Teachers and students and asked the school Authorities including the Ghana Education Service (GES) Regional Director, Madam Mary Owusu Afriyie to send the affected students who are still complaining of body pains back to the hospital for further treatment.
The Committee also went to the Police Regional Headquarters to visit some Policemen who sustained various forms of injuries during the demonstration at the school.
Though some of the Committee Members admitted that the Police were at the school to protect and prevent further destruction from the students, they were of the view that the Police should have exercised a little bit of restraint considering the ages of the students they were dealing with.
The Committee is expected to present its report to the House for consideration in a few weeks.