15 Agogo State college students arrested for rioting over water and power cuts

Fifteen students of the Agogo State College in the Asante Akyem North District of the Ashanti Region have been arrested for rioting over erratic power cuts and water crisis.

The protest, which was led by female students has left several school property including school buses damaged.

In all, ten female students and five male students participated in the protest on Sunday evening over unstable power supply and acute water shortage that has hit the school in recent times. Water crisis according to the students is common in the school, as students sometimes walk several kilometres in search of water before attending classes.

Police Officers who were deployed to maintain order, are still stationed at the school to avert further protests.

Chief Executive for the Asante Akyem North District, Francis Oti Boateng, told Citi News the District Security Council will hold a stakeholder meeting today [Monday] on the issue.

“By the grace of God, everything is under control. The students were agitating over their lights that went off around 10:00pm and also about water shortages. We met them and explained to them that, even if they are facing challenges there are procedures to follow, but I can assure you that everything is under control,” he said.

Over 40 students of the Agogo State College were displaced after fire gutted one of the dormitories in the school in January 2018.

The headmaster of the school, Agyapong Ntra, confirmed the incident to Citi News

“Around 8.30 pm when students were at prep, some of them went out and saw smoke coming out of one of the dormitories so they alerted us and teachers together with students rushed to the scene. Others too called the Fire Service so they rushed to the scene,” he narrated.

“Everything in the room got burnt including government textbooks, chop boxes, trunks, and a few cedis.”