COMMITTEE TO PROBE BAWKU STUDENT CLASH (D/G, Wednesday, April 8, 2009, BACK PAGE)

A 10-member committee has been constituted to investigate the recent clashes between students of the Bawku Senior High School and Bawku Technical Institute, which led to massive destruction of property.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, who toured the schools on Monday to assess the extent of damage caused during the clashes, disclosed that the committee had 10 days to work after which its recommendations would be implemented.
He also hinted that students in the two institutions would be surcharged with the cost of repair works after the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited in the region had submited an evaluation of the damage caused.
Mr Woyongo recommended the immediate dismissal of students identified as ringleaders to serve as deterrent to other students.
Meanwhile, the two schools have been closed down with immediate effect. However, final-year students of Bawku Senior High School have been permitted to stay and write their exams.
Students of both schools went on rampage following a misunderstanding in the aftermath of an end-of-term entertainment programme organised separately by both schools.
Briefing the Upper East Regional Minister, the Bawku Municipal Co-ordinating Director, Mr Alhassan Yakubu Abubakari, said some students from the technical school, after their entertainment session on Saturday, April 4, 2009, crossed over to join their friends at the secondary school to join in the fun at the senior high school.
However, some misunderstanding ensued among some of the students over a girl, and this led to some altercations. The row was brought under control by the headmaster and some tutors with help from the Ghana Police Service, which was called in to restore calm.
He said the following day, some students of the Bawku Senior High School were alleged to have launched a counter-attack, when they marched on the Bawku Technical Institute.
Armed with stones and other fighting implements, the students went on rampage and in the process destroyed school property at the technical institute including electrical installations, an air conditioner, louvre blades and a borehole.
The attacking students also desecrated portions of a mosque on the premises of Bawku Technical Institute, and removed a goal post on the field of the technical institute.
The timely intervention by personnel of the Ghana Police Service and a detachment of the Airborne Force averted a bloodbath. To maintain law and order, police presence was beefed up around the two schools.
Mr Woyongo expressed his displeasure at the act of vandalism perpetrated by the students and warned that such incidence would not be tolerated.