On August 5, 2025, students of Sirigu Senior High School in the Kassena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region of Ghana, seized the car keys of their headmaster and locked his office in response to the headmaster’s refusal to repair five broken boreholes.
This situation forced students to travel longer distances to fetch water, as they were prohibited from using boreholes that were not equally maintained by all.The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Donatus Atanga visited the school the following day to investigate the incident.
He sought to understand the students’ grievances and demanded the headmaster’s removal within a week. A committee was established to look into the matter, particularly concerning the headmaster’s provision of poorly balanced meals while charging students a feeding fee of 150 Ghana cedis.Initially reluctant, the SRC President, Bukari Ayadago, ultimately handed over the car keys and unlocked the headmaster’s office.
The regional minister returned the car keys to Mr. Stephen Aeke Akurugu, the Kassena Nankana West District Chief Executive.
Speaking to the media, Ayadago expressed gratitude for the minister’s visit and pleaded for the dismissal of both the headmaster and his assistant. He emphasized the urgent need to address the water crisis, inadequate toilet facilities, and poor food quality in the school.
“We only want our headmaster and his assistant to go. Our primary concern is the water crisis. We need clean water, and the toilet facilities are in disarray. Open defecation has led to serious safety issues for our female students.
The food quality is unacceptable; we urge you to look into it,” Ayadago lamented.The SRC President also requested support for entertainment equipment, as students typically contribute five Ghana cedis each to rent such items for meaningful activities that have been lacking for some time. He further appealed for an assembly hall, school benches, and a fence to enhance security, as the absence of a boundary wall has made students vulnerable to harm.
In his address, Minister Akamugri thanked the student leadership for effectively articulating their grievances. He assured them that he would address their concerns, including the issues with the headmaster, infrastructure, transportation, sanitation, and security.He stated, “I will not encourage violence. It’s commendable that you have expressed your concerns in a constructive manner. I will tackle these issues one by one.
”School prefect Awuni Benjamin also appealed for street lights to improve security on campus.
Source: mywordfmonline.com/ Gaspard Ayuureneeya Adongo