The Ghana Education Service (GES) will only order the reopening of schools in the Banda Ahenkro district in the Brong Ahafo Region when the security situation in the area improves.
An unidentified group in the area is fiercely opposed to all government workers who are not natives of the district and wants all people they consider strangers on Banda land to leave.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Lm5l5EjZ42owmR71x1bgobiu2PDj7SBM”]They contend that the non-indigenes are taking over their jobs and lands in the town, and warned them to leave the area.
The situation has compelled the GES to shut down over 40 schools in the district to protect the lives of teachers and students.
Speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the GES, Reverend Jonathan Bettey said it was best the schools were closed for the time being as the tensions were sorted out.
“Earlier on, teachers were threatened by the notice to violently evict all government workers who are not natives in that town. So when this information got to the Head, they tried to see how best they could find their levels in the community but it is becoming unbecoming. It was yesterday that we heard they have been asked to leave or desert the community and that the school children should be with their parents.”
Meanwhile, Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council has also deployed security personnel to Banda-Ahenkro to quell rising tensions in the area.
According to the Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, plain clothes and uniform Police officers have been deployed to protect lives.
Despite the concerns, he said the “situation as of now is very calm. The security agencies are on the ground, both in plain and uniform clothes seeing to it that lives and property will be protected.”
–
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana