Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has expressed profound sorrow over the tragic deaths of three students from Nkwanta Senior High School (SHS) in the Oti Region,
Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has expressed profound sorrow over the tragic deaths of three students from Nkwanta Senior High School (SHS) in the Oti Region, following renewed ethnic violence in the area.
In a statement on Twitter, Dr. Apaak said:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of three students through a shooting incident on Thursday, 26th June, and a stray bullet on Friday, 27th June, at Nkwanta SHS, resulting from the resurgence of tribal conflict. We extend our condolences to the affected families and appeal for peace.â€
The incident claimed the lives of two female students and one male student. The two girls, both day students in Forms Two and Three studying General Arts, were fatally shot on their way home from school on Thursday. The following day, a male Form Three Business student was killed by a stray bullet, raising the death toll to three.
This latest outbreak of ethnic violence has once again plunged Nkwanta township into fear and mourning. Consequently, the Ghana Education Service (GES), in collaboration with the Acting Oti Regional Director of Education, has temporarily closed Nkwanta SHS to ensure the safety of students and staff.
GES has also arranged police escorts to safely transport students to their homes. According to education officials, these measures aim to protect students while security conditions in the area are being closely monitored.
The Education Ministry and GES have urged all stakeholders, including traditional leaders and community members, to work together to restore peace and prevent further loss of innocent lives.
The violence in Nkwanta forms part of a long-standing ethnic conflict that has periodically disrupted life in the area, with authorities now facing renewed calls to find a lasting solution to the unrest.