Poly Lecturers Live In Danger

Senior members at the Tamale Polytechnic say their safety in the institution is under threat following numerous threatening messages they have been receiving lately from some faceless individuals.

The threats, which have taken a tribal dimension, are directed at non-Dagombas holding various senior positions at the polytechnic.

According to some of the lecturers, they were worried that if those behind the threats were not immediately unmasked, they could hamper lecturers’ commitment to the polytechnic.

The death threats, which began last year, have sparked insecurity in the institution with some lecturers threatening to resign since the authorities were exhibiting a lukewarm attitude towards their plight.

The latest to have been issued with a death threat is the Head of Department (HOD) of Languages and Liberal Studies, Michael A. Bringandi.

According him, his secretary found a letter slipped under his office door on her return from break on October 10, 2012 at a time he was also not in the office.

The letter, a copy of which is in the possession of DAILY GUIDE, under the heading “Final Warning to Brigandi,” read “In November, we warned you and your cohort on positions in this polytechnic. Bawa, Clifford and Jacob have since shut up because they value their lives. You think big English can save your life? Shut up your mouth before we shut it up permanently for you. You Bolga Dog fighting for Pusiga Pig. You will both soon perish. We mean it! Your days are numbered now.”

The authors of the threatening note only identified themselves as Concerned Dagombas from the Tamale Polytechnic.

In his petition to the authorities, Mr. Brigandi revealed that a similar threat was circulated among some members of the institution prompting an emergency meeting with the Registrar and the affected individuals.

It was agreed that the matter be discussed with the Rector for redress but close to a year after the first threat, the outcome, according to him, was yet to be communicated to them.

He indicated that since his employers could no longer guarantee his safety, he was going to officially lodge a complaint with the Police to take up the matter as the threat was singling him out.

It would be recalled that on November 15, 2011 a similar life-threatening notice was served on a number of senior members including the current Polytechnic Finance Officer, Head of School of Engineering, Assistant Registrar (Academics) and the Vice Rector.

According to the excerpts of the threat, the mentioned individuals were to stop expressing interest in higher portfolios in the Polytechnic as that constituted attempts to undermine Dagombas whose land the Polytechnic is sited on.

It warned that persons who defied these threats and went ahead to accept positions or influenced others into accepting topmost positions were doing so at the peril of their lives as their movements within and outside the campus were being monitored.

The threat however advised the individuals mentioned in the threat to consider taking up positions in the polytechnics in their hometowns as those of the Tamale Polytechnic were a preserve of only Dagombas insisting that no amount of lobbying even at the presidency could save the face of these individuals.

The authorities, after complaints lodged at the Polytechnic registrar’s office, promised to thoroughly investigate the matter and unravel those behind the litany of threats.

Sources however told DAILY GUIDE that no headway had been made in the matter in the wake of more threats on the lives of staff.

The school authorities would not comment on the matter when reached but only disclosed that the matter was being investigated and would be made public at the appropriate time.