Gov't condemns poly-tech students attack on Police

Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, on Tuesday, condemned an attack on Police personnel by demonstrating Polytechnic Students at the precincts of the Osu Castle, in Accra.

A statement signed by the Minister in Accra, stated that, "the Government condemns the resort to unnecessary violence and unwarranted attack on the Police by the students".

The students, who had been on strike since January to press home their demand for a review of a new grading system, had listed six major problems facing the polytechnics and said until they were addressed, the new grading would remain unfair.

The problems were the academic progression of the Higher National Diploma (HND) holders and their job placement, autonomy of the polytechnics, lack of adequate academic and administrative staff, infrastructure (both academic and residential) and the implementation of the Ken P. Brown and Professor F.O. Kwami reports.

The demonstrators who hitherto had been peaceful were to present a petition to the government and begin a three-day hunger strike at the Castle Gardens. Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the incident was unfortunate, "especially coming within 24 hours after the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) had condemned the upsurge of students violence".

The Statement appealed to the students to return to the classroom and to give negotiations and peace a chance for an amicable resolution of their concerns. The Ghana National Union of Polytechnics Students (GUNPS) said it would resume lectures on condition that the government suspended the new performance grading system for "proper negotiation" to take place.

"Until there is a temporary suspension of the new grading system, we are not going back to the classrooms, whether it is going to take us a century to come out or not, we shall continue to boycott lecturers," Mr Rashid Yakubu, the GNUPS President said in January during a demonstration. Under a new performance grading system, the minimum pass nark is 50 per cent. A total of 20 students were arrested, while three sustain varies degree of injuries.

Dr Kofi Manfo, Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, told the Ghana News Agency that those arrested would be arraigned before court on Wednesday for rioting.

He explained that the students threw stones at the Police and security personnel at the entrance of the Castle and the Police responded by using water canons to disperse them.