Novihoho Afaglo

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Marrer Ghana Limited and Susagtad Boat Building and a staunch member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Novihoho Afaglo, has described a statement by the president of the National Association of Graduate
Teachers (NAGRAT) as unfortunate and pure hatred against people with dreadlocks.

According to Mr Afaglo, a body like NAGRAT and the caliber of Angel Carbonu being its President should no better than asking Rastafarians to establish their own schools.

He said this is against the fundamental human rights and the 1992 Constitution.

He said: “How could Mr Carbonu make a comment like that in this modern age and time? The hair has nothing to do with studies.

“These uneducated bodies need not be allowed to take positions like this, because they will end up brainwashing the system to create pure hatred against those in dreadlocks.”

Speaking in an interview, he said the constitution allows freedom of belief and association and therefore denying one from a school because of his/her belief and association is against the fundamental principles of the land.

On the issue of being the standard protocol of the school propounded by the school management board, he said no set of rules and regulations supersede the rights of the citizen enshrined in the constitution.

He said the time had come for the school management boards in second-cycle institutions to revise some of the rules and regulations binding the schools because some of the rules are outmoded.

The CEO condemned the stance of the Ghana Education Service in reversing its earlier decision.

“If we are being denied education and plainly being abused in our own land in front of the established protocols then what can we say if foreigners abuse us?” he quipped.

Mr Afaglo, therefore, called on civil society groups and human rights watchers in the country to rise and defend the rights of the students so that they are not denied access to quality education.