As part of measures to curb the issue of kidnapping in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of the Western Region, the Information Service Department (ISD) has embarked on a security sensitization program in second cycle institutions in the Metropolis.

It is in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Metro Education Directorate and the Ghana Police Service (GPS). The schools so far visited include, Ahantaman Girls, Sekondi College, Archbishop Porter Girls, Adiembra, Fijai, Methodist, Ghana Secondary Technical (GSTS), Bompeh and Diabene Senior High Schools.

The team has also extended the sensitization programme to the Junior High Schools (JHS) and to some identified groups. In all, a total of 24,056 students were captured in the exercise.

This was made known by the Metropolitan Chief Executive Mr Anthony K.K Sam in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Takoradi to find out the measures the Assembly had put in place to curb the kidnapping in the Metropolis. The MCE said the security situation in some basic schools had been very appalling as miscreants were breaking into the schools to steal teaching and learning materials. He cited instances where burglars broke into the office of the Headmistress and the computer laboratory of the Essikado Catholic JHS and the Ketan Cluster of schools, stealing all their computers some months ago. He, in this regard, prevailed on all Assembly Members and school authorities to do everything possible within their means to help protect the property of the schools.

Mr Sam pointed out that even though there had been a lot of sensitization programmes in the traditional and the social media, members of the Assembly and the public should also add their voice to educate the populace. He, however, noted that, raising false alarms and deceit of public officers was an offence and punishable by law.

It would be recalled that about six (6) months ago, three girls were reported kidnapped in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. The girls, from separate families were taken from various locations in the Metropolis and nothing concrete has since been heard about their whereabouts.

Priscilla Blessing Bentum, 21, was the first to be kidnapped in August 2018. The student is said to have left home for choir practice but never returned. Her worried father reported her disappearance to the police 24 hours later. It is now known that she was abducted at Kansaworodo, a suburb of Takoradi.

Four months later, Ruth Love Quayeson, 18, also disappeared. She took a cab ride from her home in Diabene to the Butumagyedu (BU) Junction and never returned.

Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie, 15, was last seen on December 21, 2018. She told her younger siblings she was taking a walk to a nearby town, Nkroful and since then no one has heard from her.

The parents and other residents, who have lost their children through similar means on January 4, staged a protest in the Metropolis demanding action from the police to find the girls.

A Nigerian, Samuel Udoetuk Wills had been named as the prime suspect and was recently convicted for escaping from lawful custody, while the substantive case of kidnapping is still pending.