Accra, June 21, GNA – Members of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, have visited the Islamic Senior High School (SHS) at Abrepo in Kumasi following a demonstration and shooting incident that occurred in the school recently.
A statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament recalled that on Tuesday 14th June, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, the Member of Parliament for Asawase and Minority Chief Whip, pursuant to Standing Order 72, drew the attention of the House to a police shooting incident that occurred at the Islamic SHS at Abrepo in Kumasi on Monday, 13th June, in which some students sustained injuries.
It said Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin referred the concerns raised to the Defence and Interior for further information and report back to the house.
The statement said Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee, led the delegation to visit the school to interact with the affected students and the Police.
It said Mr Suleman Z. Yeboah, the Headmaster of the Islamic SHS, recounted how the school, since 2012 had been requesting the Urban Roads Authority to construct Speed Rumps in front of the school to minimize the rampant student knockdowns by vehicles but to no avail.
The statement said 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 had to demonstrate for the Government and Parliament to come to their aid.
Mr 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.
Mr James Agalga, the Member of Parliament for Builsa North and Ranking Member of the Committee, used the opportunity to advise the students especially the females to study and aim high to become Members of Parliament in the near future.
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’s Authorities Madam Mary Owusu Afriyie, the Ghana Education Service (GES) Regional Director, to send the affected students who were still complaining of body pains back to the Hospital for further treatment.
The statement noted that 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.
It said 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 statement noted that the Committee was expected to present its report to the House for consideration in few weeks.