The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, has paid a visit to the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi to get first-hand details of an alleged Police attack on some students of the Institution on Monday.

This is part of investigations being conducted into the incident by the Police administration.

About 25 students were hospitalised after Police allegedly opened tear gas on them while they were protesting frequent crashes of pedestrians in front of the School.

The angry students massed up on the road in protest, as they called for construction of speed ramps on that section of the road.

Reports indicate there was vehicular and human traffic on that stretch for more than an hour before the Police were called in to clear the road.

Academic work came to a halt as some parents frequented the school to check on their wards, amid heavy security.

“The Police managed to disperse the rioting students and calm has since been restored. Some students and some Police officers have been taken to the hospital for medical attention.

“The Inspector-General of Police is proceeding to Kumasi for a first-hand assessment of the situation. The Police have commenced an investigation into the incident and further developments will be communicated,” the Police said in a statement.

Education Ministry

In an interview with JoyNews few minutes after the incident, a Spokesperson for the Education Ministry, Eric Opoku Mensah, said efforts are underway to bring the situation under control.

He added that the Regional Director of Education is following up with the matter to ensure all students admitted at the hospital are well catered for and safe.

“We’ve spoken to parents to remain calm; we have given them the assurance that any student found in this School is well. We are protecting them; we are ensuring that those that were taken to the hospital are safe – some have been brought back.

“We will engage the Urban Roads Directorate to ensure that some markings would be done on the road immediately. Even if that is done, that wouldn’t be an antidote to an accident occurring but again, we need to educate and advise our drivers who ply this road to be cautious when getting to a school junction,” he said.

Ambulance Service

The National Ambulance Service has pegged the number of victims admitted to hospital, at 25.

Regional Director of the Service, Sommit Duut, says all the victims are responding to treatment.

He, however, stressed that they have not treated any traumatic injury like that of gunshot wounds. According to him, the students rather suffered respiratory distress.

“All that we treated were just difficulty in breathing and people who were exhausted – we didn’t have any bloody situation.

“They [victims] are doing very well, they are responding to treatment; all of them are fine. As of now, we’ve not had any negative feedback from the hospital.”