Legon (GAR), Feb 22, GNA - Students of tertiary institutions are required to obtain permission from the police in accordance with the Public Order law before embarking on demonstrations and other public gatherings, a senior police officer has said. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) James Acquaye of the Police Headquarters said this was necessary to avoid confrontation law enforcement agencies and the students.

ASP Acquaye said the inability of students to acquire proper permission and follow laid down procedures during processions had led to various confrontations between them and the police in the past. He was addressing students at the University of Ghana at a seminar organized by the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). Speaking on the theme, "The role of students in managing conflicts," ASP Acquaye entreated aggrieved students to always use dialogue in resolving grievances, instead of resorting to illegal demonstrations which lead to destruction of school property. He stated that it was an offence to organize and participate in such events without permission from the police, adding that culprits could be fined or imprisoned.

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer, Evans Osei Owusu, called on students to desist from creating fire hazards on campus. Mr Owusu named some of the hazards as overloading of sockets, leaving electrical gadgets in sockets unattended to and using soap and stones on gas cylinders that have leakages. He also warned the public against asking gas vendors to fill their cylinders to the brim, saying that doing so could lead to an explosion explaining, that domestic cylinders must be filled two-thirds. He added that bouncing the cylinders on the floor and overturning it could also lead to an explosion.