Irate students of Kumasi Polytechnic numbering about 900 and without police protection stormed the principal streets of Kumasi yesterday in protest of their inability to write their end of semester exams which they have, for several months, prepared for.
Their inability to write the said exam is as a result of the indefinite sit down strike embarked upon by members of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) in protest against the delay in the payment of their new salaries after their migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS); the new pay policy.
The students’ protest was also aimed at expressing their disgust at what they describe as “government’s maltreatment” of their teachers, causing them (the students) to bear the brunt of their teachers’ anger.
The students marched to the offices of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to present their petition to the regional minister.
The students carried placards with inscriptions: “President Mills Why,” “Polytechnic Education Needs Attention,” “Is POTAG Money Bigger Than Woyome’s,” among others.
Upon arrival, however, the Ashanti Regional Striking Force Commander of the Police, Prince Gabriel Wabu, first met leaders of the aggrieved students at the fore-court of the RCC where he unequivocally made them aware that their action was not acceptable to say the least.
“As student leaders you are supposed to know that you need to notify the police at least five clear days of your intention to demonstrate so that the police will protect you against any attack and also protect others from your attack as well,” he remarked.
The commander, who was not the least amused, added that “this demonstration is uncalled-for, not right, and unconstitutional. You think you are alright but your colleagues can attack somebody on the way and they will put you in trouble.”
Mr Wabu then advised the student leaders to ask their colleagues to return to their campus quietly without any commotion, saying “even though I am not happy teachers are on strike because it will affect your studies, I will also not like you to put your own lives in danger.”
The Student Representative Council (SRC) President of Kumasi Poly, Prince Charles Ohene-Appiah, in apparent defense said they had met the regional Police Commander, DCOP Augustine Gyening, and told him they would still embark on their demonstration; however, admitting that they should have duly put that too on paper.
The SRC president subsequently gave their petition to the Regional Striking Force Commander who in turn handed it over to a Deputy Coordinating Directing at the RCC, Douglas Andoh Annoful, who also promised to give it to the Regional Minister.
The regional minister was not present because he was apparently locked up in a crunch meeting with some chiefs and traditional rulers.
STORY: FROM JMAES APPIAKORANG JR., KUMASI
