A seven-member committee investigating the violent clashes between students of Sokode Senior High Technical School and local community members has submitted its final report to Volta Regional Minister Mr. James Gunu. The comprehensive 42-page document, presented by committee chairman Mr. Alexander Mawusi Buadi, follows weeks of hearings involving 43 individuals.
The report highlights alarming levels of student indiscipline, including drug abuse and unauthorized off-campus activities. The disturbances began when a student allegedly snatched a mobile phone from a bar near the school. In an attempt to retrieve the phone, local youths pursued the student onto school grounds. Tensions escalated when students, reportedly armed with cutlasses, confronted the youths. Later that night, a group of students retaliated by vandalizing properties in the town. In response, local youths invaded the school on February 23, 2025, causing significant damage.
Mr. Buadi noted serious structural deficiencies within the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA), School Board, and Student Representative Council (SRC), estimating the cost of damages at GH₵175,000. He stated, “The level of indiscipline among students is high and on the rise.” Both Sokode Etoe and Gbogame communities expressed concerns about the operations of Manakura Bar, which they say promotes immoral activities involving minors. Another location, Miami, near the abattoir, has been identified as a hotspot for drug use.
The committee found that both Manakura Bar and a local information center in Sokode Gbogame were operating without proper documentation. Recommendations include sanctions for both students and community members involved in the violence, as well as demands for the information center to regularize its operations or shut down. Manakura Bar may only be exempt from damage costs if it can prove its legality.
Upon receiving the report, Minister Gunu praised the committee for their thorough investigation, emphasizing the report’s broader implications. “This report is not only relevant for Sokode SHTS; it should be made available in libraries of all senior high schools to help prevent similar incidents in the future,” he stated.
He underscored the connection between drug use, student indiscipline, and the riot, calling for law enforcement to address issues surrounding student access to bars at night. “The lack of discipline observed in that school makes this investigative report essential for school authorities and the PTA,” he added. The Minister announced that the report will be forwarded to relevant agencies for further action.
About The Author
