Gunshots At Achimota School

Warning shots rang out, sending parents, their wards and some hired machomen, fleeing for dear life last Tuesday at the Achimota Preparatory and JSS, when police had to restore order, following mayhem involving members of the Interim Management Board (IMB) and Concerned Parents on one side, and Nana Woode and his cronies on the other.

The trouble started when a last minute attempt by members of the Interim Management Board of the Achimota Preparatory and JSS to take over the school's administration from Nana Woode and his cronies turned violent as armed machomen emerged from a nearby bush to attack members of the IMB. The attackers were armed with cutlasses, axes and other weapons. They were, however, repulsed by the police.

The trouble started in the morning, when parents who had brought their wards to school waited for Nana Woode and his colleagues to inform them of a decision made at last Sunday's meeting that they no longer want Nana Woode as Chairman of the IMB.

However, unknown to the parents, the Nana Woode faction, already having had a hint of their plans, had posted some armed men in the nearby bushes as guards, should trouble break out.

Acting upon a tip-off, the aggrieved parents quickly moved to the headmistress's house and forcibly demanded the keys to her office, telling her that "we do not need you again". This action prompted an attack from the security man, who was with the headmistress. The parents then counter-attacked and a free-for-all then ensued.

The police then quickly moved in, firing warning shots, which scared off the machomen, who had come to the headmistress's defence. However the machomen regrouped and attempted three times to besiege the compound but met stiff resistance from the police, who were armed to the teeth.

The whole police operation lasted about 15 minutes. The ringleader of the machomen was arrested, with two of his men, while the headmistress was taken to the Achimota Police Station for safety.

Prior to the parents= decision to remove Nana Woode from office, he had called a PTA meeting, the first since the crisis began, to explain his side of the story and woo them. He entreated them to attend an IMB and Concerned Parents meeting scheduled for the next day, little knowing that the message he sold to his bosses "the parents" at the meeting rather made them suspicious of his intention.

At the meeting the next day some of the parents, who were still under the spell of the Nana Woode faction, and who had not heard the version of the IMB and the Concerned Parents, told the latter to step down and allow Nana Woode and his team to continue running the affairs of the school, adding that "after all they are still in control."

This proposal set the meeting in confusion for about ten minutes. It was against this background that some of the parents wanted to hear the other side first, while others wanted both disputing parties to leave the scene.

Nana N. Amponsem II, a legal practitioner and lawyer for the IMB, explained to the PTA that the dispute dates far back in 1997.

According to him, it all started when the former IMB members, made of some top guns in the political arena, decided to leave the scene. This, he said, made Nana Woode to seize the opportunity and claim chairmanship.

In October, last year, he added, the PTA chose new members to manage the school, but Nana Woode and others did not accept them. This, he said, has impasse consequently led to a series of court actions, from contempt to accountability suit and ex-parte motions between the two opposing factions.

Dr. Nortey, a former Board Chairman, reminded the PTA that the school was a PTA school and not an individual's as had been portrayed by others.

According to him, the wives of former lecturers of the University of Ghana, Legon founded the school for their wards in 1957 and registered as a limited liability company in 1971.

He added that when they left, the school was transferred to parents whose wards were then on admission.

The former board chairman advised against one man taking responsibility for the running of the school. "If those we chose to manage the school are not doing well and we have chosen another group who they are fighting then we must tell them to leave."

This revelation made the parents to express their support to the IMB and the Concerned Parents, vowing to force Mr. Woode and colleagues out.

When Chronicle called at Nana Woode's residence for an interview, the reporter was told that he was still the chairman and that he was in a meeting.

Meanwhile, the ex-parte motion filed by Mr. Michael Osei, a member of the Nana Woode faction, asking the community tribunal to bond over nine persons, including Mr. Appiah Kubby, the present IMB Chairman, was ruled in favour of the nine, against the background that the court recognised them as legally appointed board members to manage the affairs of the school.