IGP promises to look into conduct of police officers deployed to Islamic SHS

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has assured students and Management of the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi that he will look into the conduct of Police officers deployed for crowd control during their protest.

About 25 students were hospitalised after Police allegedly opened tear gas on them while they were protesting frequent crashes of pedestrians in front of the School.

Dr. Akuffo-Dampare, while addressing the students on Monday after the incident, said investigations will be conducted into the matter to ensure the necessary action is taken.

“I also want to assure you that whatever happened in terms of the policing aspect of it, we are going to look into it and take all actions that need to be taken to ensure that at the end of the day, the right thing is done, professionalism is deepened in a manner that will not put anybody’s lives at risk because as Police, we are here to protect lives and property and if we cannot do that, we might have failed our duties and our mandates and it is something that we do not want to do,” he said.

The IGP also noted that authorities will ensure speed ramps would be constructed in front of the school to reduce the incessant road accidents which precipitated the protest.

“As soon as I touched base and went round and saw the dangers that you are exposed to, I made a couple of calls and urban roads and its leadership have accepted to quickly come around and ensure that the right thing is done to save your lives to live to your full potential.

“We are going to monitor to see to its full accomplishment, so that each life will be protected,” he added.

Dr Dampare, upon hearing the incident, paid a visit to the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi to get first-hand details of an alleged Police attack on some students of the Institution on Monday.

The visit was part of investigations being conducted into the incident by the Police administration.

“The Inspector-General of Police is proceeding to Kumasi for a first-hand assessment of the situation. The Police have commenced an investigation into the incident and further developments will be communicated,” the Police said in a statement.

Over 20 students of Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi were rushed to the hospital on Monday following an alleged clash with the Police.

Sources say the personnel were deployed to the School to maintain law and order.

The victims were said to be part of a group of students who blocked the Abrepo Junction-Barekese road to protest pedestrian knockdowns involving students and teachers of the school.

The angry students massed up on the road in protest, as they called for construction of speed rumps on that section of the road.

In an interview with JoyNews few minutes after the incident, a Deputy Spokesperson of the Education Ministry, Eric Opoku Mensah, said efforts are underway to bring the situation under control.

He added that the Regional Director of Education is following up with the matter to ensure all students admitted at the hospital are well catered for and safe.

“We’ve spoken to parents to remain calm; we have given them the assurance that any student found in this School is well. We are protecting them; we are ensuring that those that were taken to the hospital are safe – some have been brought back.

“We will engage the Urban Roads Directorate to ensure that some markings would be done on the road immediately. Even if that is done, that wouldn’t be an antidote to an accident occurring but again, we need to educate and advise our drivers who ply this road to be cautious when getting to a school junction,” he said.

Ambulance Service

The National Ambulance Service has pegged the number of victims admitted to hospital, at 25.

Regional Director of the Service, Sommit Duut, says all the victims are responding to treatment.

He, however, stressed that they have not treated any traumatic injury like that of gunshot wounds. According to him, the students rather suffered respiratory distress.

“All that we treated were just difficulty in breathing and people who were exhausted – we didn’t have any bloody situation.

“They [victims] are doing very well, they are responding to treatment; all of them are fine. As of now, we’ve not had any negative feedback from the hospital.”