The Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh has urged students of the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI), to remain calm as investigations into a recent clash with the Police is conducted.
He also said persons found culpable in the violent incident will be dealt with.
Some students were arrested for rioting and causing damage to public property when they blocked the road from the Amakom roundabout in a jubilant mood after placing third in the region’s inter-schools sports competition.
The Police subsequently fired gunshots and tear gas to disperse them after they resisted attempts by the Police to calm the situation.
Addressing students of the Institute on his visit days after the incident, the minister said, “whatever it is, an investigation should be conducted. We should come to the root of what actually happened and what caused all this. If anyone is found the person should be punished. So I’ll plead with the student body to exercise extreme patience, don’t try and take the low into your hands. Don’t try and organize any demonstration now. We are dealing a group of people in the service with enormous powers so we have to be smart to get our case across.”
He added that, “from time immemorial, students have gone to the stadium for games and there have been incidents; but I don’t remember the last time live bullets were used on students. I could have said nothing if tear gas was used on the mob or if hot water was used. But to get to KTI campus and fire live bullets is something else.”
About 45 students were left hospitalized after the incident last Tuesday [February 14, 2017], with 37 of them also detained by the police.
The Principal of the school, Dr. Joseph Abeiku Apreh, in a Citi News interview termed the incident as “unfortunate” and said that the school authorities will assist the police with investigations into the matter.
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor
