Teachers and students of Abuakwa State College (ABUSCO), one of the Senior High Schools in the East Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region have called on the government, particularly the security agencies, to come to their aid, since their lives are in danger.
The Save Our Soul (SOS) message from management of the school, affectionately called ABUSCO, follows the ‘no mercy’ attitude and activities of illegal miners, better known as ‘galamseyers’, who have encroached on the school lands.
Speaking to The Chronicle at his office last Thursday, the Assistant Headmaster in charge of Administration, Mr. Frank Oppong said fear and panic had overwhelmed both teachers and students of the school, because of the activities of the illegal miners.
According to him, the development had seriously affected quality teaching and learning, since sound mind, coupled with serene environment, have eluded the school, notwithstanding the effort of management to offer their best.
The Assistant Headmaster in charge of Administration explained that one of the teachers, Mr. Francis Anim Amartey, escaped death when these unscrupulous and unpatriotic citizens vandalized his bungalow in an attack.
Mr. Oppong continued that his colleague was attacked by the galamseyers, based on their perception that he was the one divulging information to management and their subsequent arrest by police.
Responding to the issues raised by management of the school, Mr. Samuel Asalu, the Operations Manager of Mos Mining Company, the properly registered and approved company that holds the concession just behind the school assured students and teachers that his outfit would do everything possible to protect them.
The company, which has embarked on reclamation exercise to ensure the safety of teachers and students of the school, met a stiffer challenge from illegal miners who are encroaching on its concession.
The illegal miners who are of the notion that the effort of Mos Company to bring sanity into the sector would deny them of their daily bread has staged various physical and other rough tactics against the company to make sure that it did not succeed.
The operations manager, who was recently attacked and severely beaten by individuals, identified as illegal miners, has called on the government, particularly the security agencies to protect him in order to ensure good practices of mining in the area.
In a related development, the school, which is about 76 years and has produced responsible citizens who are occupying very important positions in society, cannot boast of an assembly hall and befitting Science Resource Centre.
The Assistant headmaster in charge of administration was out of words to describe how the Science Resources Centre which was started some three years ago had been left to the mercy of the weather.
He explained that, the half-way completed science laboratory has hugely affected teaching and learning particularly those offering science programmes since they only do much theory than practical’s.
Conducting this reporter round the three storey building laboratory, it was evidence that management of the physics department are making do with some makeshift laboratory apparatus with the tables and chairs begging for proper ones.
Little said about the chemistry and biology laboratory the better since there was not even a drop of water for the students to work with.
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