Police invite Akamba for inciting SHS students

Police in Garu in the Upper East Region, have invited the Deputy National Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Joshua Akamba for interrogation, following reports that he incited some students at the Tempane Senior High School against government’s free SHS policy.

Joshua Akamba confirmed this to Citi FM in an interview, saying “the Police have asked that I should report at the Garu police station.”

Joshua Akamba, who is seeking to be elected as the substantive National Organizer of the NDC was seen in a video earlier this week, interacting with the students.

He asked them if they were experiencing issues with bedbugs as a result of congestion which has been occasioned by the free SHS policy to which they responded in the affirmative.

He made the students show their bedbug bite scars to the cameras, and promised them their challenges would be over in 2020 if they vote out the NPP.

Both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the GES have since the condemned the development.

The GES in a statement described the development as “inciting students against President Nana Akufo -Addo and the Free SHS programme.”

“Management of GES condemns such acts and wishes to bring to the attention of the general public, especially political activists that the Ghana Education Service is a non-political state agency with the key responsibility of implementing pre-tertiary educational policy of the country and wishes to remain as such.”

“Meanwhile, all regional and district directors of Education and Heads of SHS have been directed to ensure that schools and students are not used for political activities without authorization. Management wishes to assure parents and the general public that steps have been taken to ensure that students and school premises are immune from such unwarranted political interference.”

The youth wing of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) also condemned the Deputy NDC National Organizer over the incident.

In a statement, the NPP further indicated that the development was a “clear indication of the NDC’s vicious intentions for the free SHS Program.”

While calling on the GES to investigate the issue, the party’s youth wing also called for sanctions against authorities who allowed the incident to take place.

“The Ghana Education Service must as a matter of urgency launch a full-scale investigation into this matter and give the appropriate sanctions to the authorities of the school who allowed this unfortunate incident to take place. The Free SHS Policy is undoubtedly the boldest policy initiative in the governance history of our country, and we must collectively guard against any actions which will seek to destroy this all-important programme,” the statement added.

According to the NPP, the headteacher of the school has been suspended for allowing Akamba gain access to students

Although GES rules are clearly against political activities in all schools except tertiary institutions, the two main parties often break the rules.

Credit: Citi FM