Regional News of Wednesday, 25 May 2011

Source: GNA

Concerned teachers storm Police station

Sunyani, May 25, GNA - A group of teachers, belonging to the Concerned Teachers Association, on Monday, besieged the premises of the Techiman Police Station for the release of three of their leaders.

The leaders, including a woman, were allegedly arrested by the police for disrupting academic work in some schools within the Municipality. Chief Inspector Christopher Tawiah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), told the Ghana News Agency that, the group went to some schools last week in the Techiman Municipality to prevent some teachers from executing their duties.

He said the issue was reported to the police after the group had sacked some teachers at the Ahmadiya Junior High School, (JHS), Ameyaw JHS and Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) JHS, which they responded quickly to. He said the group took to their heels on seeing the police and four of their leaders were invited later to the police station for a caution statement.

Mr Godfred Axolu, the Techiman Municipal Director of Education, when contacted on phone, confirmed the story. He said the police invited four of the leaders on Friday and later three others for their statements. He added that members of the group had a wrong information and announced on a local FM station that all teachers should assemble at the station clad in red "to defend their cause". Those invited were veronica Pokuaah, Oppong Peter, Osman Kwakye, Agyeman Prince, Obeng Emmanuel, Opoku Hinney and Owusu Ameyaw Williams. He said all the seven invited were granted bail and had been asked to report daily at the station, whilst investigations continue. The Municipal Director appealed to teachers to exercise patience and use proper procedures in addressing their grievances.