ISLAMIC SHS GETS MORE THAN THEY ASKED FOR

It would be recalled that in July 2022, students of the Islamic Snr High School located at Abrepo in the Bantama Sub Metro of Kumasi went on a demonstration and blocked a portion of the Abrepo Junction-Barekese road.

The protest, which later turned violent, was after formal complaints via letters to duty bearer including the Ashanti regional Coordination Council, had failed to get the required response to protect students, staff and visitors to the school located along the road from vehicular knock downs that resulted in injuries to student and staff victims over the years.

 

In the heat of the demonstration, the students clashed with armed police personnel deployed to protect life amd property when Teargas and rubber bullets were fired at the students.

In the end, some of the students and teachers sustained injuries with some of them hospitalized for days.

The then Acting Ashanti Regional Police Commander was interdicted as a result.

The crux of the protest was that, as a very busy road, motorists failed to exercise caution when they got to the frontage of the school and thus on a number of times, knocked down students and staff.

 

This was due to the lack of any safety mechanism on that stretch of the road to limit speed.

 

The agitated students were therefore calling for the construction of speed ramps to restrict vehicular movement whenever that got there.

 

After seven months of the demonstration, 'Ashantitoday' follow up has shown the construction of two separate speed strips at both ends of the school's entrance with an additional furniture of a Pedestrian Crossing or Zebra Crossing to assure pedestrians including the students, staff and visitors  of safety from vehicular knock downs.

At the time of our visit to the area, pedestrians seen using the facilities were crossing over to and from both sides of the road without apprehension, compared with what pertained months earlier when they had to look over their shoulders even in the middle of the road.

To demonstrate its effectiveness, the rumble strips had caused an unusual gridlock locally referred to as 'go-slow' or 'traffic jam' along that stretch.

 

An auto mechanic whose workshop locates directly opposite the entrance to the school, Kwame Boakye, told 'Ashantitoday' that the road furniture well built on 15th February this year. He recounted some of the times vehicles knocked down some students and staff of the school. He expressed delight at the construction of the rumble strips and Pedestrian Crossing.

 

Two regular users of the road, one Daniel, a private salon car user, commended government for heeding to the calls of the school.

A motorized tricycle(pragia) rider who gave his name only as Joe, said, even though,  the rumble strips in particular has come at a cost to users like himself considering the likelihood of increased rate and financial implications for maintenance, the fact that it is to protect students is laudable.

 

However, authorities at the school refused to comment on the development for fear of victimization.

 

Watch the video below.