Student stabbed at Inter-Schools sports festival in Koforidua
A student of Koforidua Senior High Technical School (SECTECH) has been stabbed during disturbances linked to the Eastern Regional Inter-Schools Sports Festival in Koforidua, prompting fears of reprisal attacks and heightened security concerns.
The victim, identified as Jerome Appiah, was allegedly attacked by some Form Two students of New Juaben Senior High School while eating waakye on his way to campus. He reportedly sustained a deep machete wound to the shoulder and bled profusely.
Police personnel from the Eastern Regional Command arrived promptly at the scene and rushed the injured student to the Eastern Regional Hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment and is said to be in stable condition.
Following the stabbing, the Headmaster of Koforidua SECTECH, Emmanuel Frimpong Benjabeng, together with teachers, rushed to the Koforidua Youth Resource Centre venue of the ongoing inter-schools sports festival to prevent possible retaliatory attacks by agitated students.
Mr. Benjabeng was attending a meeting with the New Juaben South Municipal Education Director, Mustapha Haruna Appiah, when news of further disturbances broke.
He immediately left the meeting after reports emerged that a teacher of SECTECH, Henry Kudiabor, had also been injured.
According to reports, the teacher sustained a cut to the head after being struck by a flying stone during clashes involving students of Nsutam Senior High Technical School, who were allegedly pelting stones.
The New Juaben South Municipal Education Director, Mustapha Haruna Appiah, has expressed concern over the recurring violence and has called on the police and event organisers to investigate the incident thoroughly and tighten security to prevent further attacks.
