Education minister dissolves Prempeh College Board

Education minister dissolves Prempeh College Board

Source: Ghana I Nhyira FM I Nana Asenso Mensah 

Date: 14-09-2018 Time: 07:09:17:pm

Education Minister, Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has dissolved the Governing Board of Prempeh College over claims of complicity in the sale of the school’s lands.

The action follows a visit to the school following a series of protests from the Prempeh Old Boys Association who has been complaining about the wanton sale of the school's lands.

Concerned parents, as well as students, expressed concerns over the situation as it is a threat to the safety of the students on campus.

The Association has for some time now accused school authorities of selling parts of the school’s lands to private developers for commercial activities against the wish of key stakeholders.

A petition was signed by the old students to stop the encroachment.

“The Old Boys, as far as I’m concerned, are totally against it. The Old Boys formed a very serious constituency of all stakeholders, and we are against it; it should never be done. Whatever has started there should be broken down and cleared away from Prempeh College," a petition signed by Senior K.F Asante, a former president of the Old Boys Association said.

Private developers building within the walls of the school is said to have ignored an order by the Kwadaso Municipal Assembly to halt the ongoing projects which to the surprise of all concerned parties.

When the Education minister was notified, he was shocked and unhappy with the development which he described it as unacceptable.

According to Dr Prempeh, the encroachment of school lands could affect academic activities in the school, adding the development would put future expansion project of the school in jeopardy.

He chided the board for its alleged involvement in the sales, stressing the board has no power to sell the school’s lands.

The minister has ordered the demolition of some structures built on the school land, dissolved the school's board and directed for an interim management committee to be set up to oversee the running of the school.

“If those who came before us had decided to sell pieces of the school’s lands, would we have been able to expand it," he queried.

Meanwhile, the minister has also directed the Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to investigate Samuel Fordjuor, the headmaster of the school for his alleged involvement in the sale of lands.