Stop the lawlessness - Napo to KTI students

Students of the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI) should not take the law into their own hands as they protest against brutalities they suffered at the hands of the police on Tuesday, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education, has said.

Police in Kumasi and students of the institute clashed in violent scenes on Kumasi on Tuesday February 14.

More than 20 students sustained injuries following the clash, which began when some jubilant students of the school on their way back to campus after placing third in the zonal inter-school sports competition at the Baba Yara stadium, blocked the road leading from Amakom roundabout to KTI.

In addition to holding up traffic, some students were also alleged to be disturbing motorists by banging on their cars. Police rushed to the scene to control the situation, instructing the students to use an alternative route so traffic flow would resume. However, some students refused to heed the police’s orders, with cops allegedly assaulting some students.

In retaliation, some KTI students began to throw stones at the police who repelled the attacks by firing tear gas and gunshots to disperse them. The police reportedly chased the students to their dormitories and beat them up, leaving many with injuries.

Dr Opoku Prempeh, who visited the school on Wednesday February 15 following the incident, said: “This matter will be investigated and if anybody is found at fault, the person will be punished.

“Exercise extreme patience, don’t take the law into your hands. Don’t try to cause problems for the principal and teachers, be rest assured that we will get to the bottom of the problem.

“If you try to engage the police they will turn round and use it against you, so I will plead with you that exercise patience. We are going to the regional police to listen to their side.”