President Akufo Addo has assured that his government will find a lasting solution to the issue of encroachment of Achimota school lands.
According to him, the problem of encroachment of school lands will receive special attention from his administration as the practice affects effective teaching and learning.
The President who was speaking at the 90th anniversary celebration of Achimota School on Saturday gave the assurance following an appeal by the Headmistress of the School, Beatrice T. Adom to the President to help find a lasting solution to the worrying issue of enroachment of the school’s land. Parts of the school’s land have been taken over by land guards and developers who are putting up structures without a permit, threatening the very existence of the school.
“There have been instances where land guards have even threaten staff members occupying school bungalow to vacate such facilities claiming they are the owners of the land on which the facility has been built.
“Some of these individuals and groups sometimes act with impunity without any regard for the law. This unfortunate situation is a major challenge confronting this 90-year-old mother,” the headmistress said.
She lamented that after the years and successes the school has chalked, it still does not have a wall to protect it landed property.
“Without the wall, the school is very vulnerable and our security is highly compromised. Activities in the Achimota Forest and the adjoining slums continue to pose a security challenge to the school. She appealed to the President and Old Achimota Association to take the matter to heart and help wall the school.
The school’s lands were acquired by ordinance by the colonial government from the Osu stool in 1921 and an amount of 4,000 pounds paid to the elders of the stool.
President Akufo Addo commennting further said the safety and security of Achimota should not and cannot be the responsibility of only the students or are old students, adding that Achimota is a national icon, which belongs to the people of Ghana and the conversation about what happens to Achimota cannot be limited to a discussion within the school.
“The truth is that many of the problems here are replicated all over the country, other schools have lost lands not on the dramatic scale of Achimota, but what total means they have lost means they no longer have a playing ground and the consequence are equally grave.”
He added: “The problem of encroachment of school lands will receive special attention from my government, not only attention but even more importantly a satisfactory solution. Ladies and gentlemen it is not a secret that the Akufo Addo administration has a lot of high profile old Achimotans among its ranks, they will undoubtedly make sure that this issue receives attention and resolution.”
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