A peaceful demonstration by students of the Techiman Krobo Nursing and Midwifery Training College in the Bono East Region descended into chaos after police allegedly fired gunshots and assaulted protesters, leaving several students injured and others detained during a protest over deteriorating welfare conditions on campus.
Videos widely circulated on social media showed terrified trainees fleeing as gunshots rang out, while police officers pursued and arrested some of the demonstrators, bringing an abrupt end to what students insist began as a peaceful march.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) accusing the Ghana Police Service of using excessive force against unarmed students exercising their constitutional right to demonstrate.
Welfare concerns trigger protest
The students took to the streets on Monday after what they described as repeated failures by the college’s management to address long-standing welfare concerns despite several attempts at dialogue through the Students’ Representative Council (SRC).
According to the students, the unresolved issues include inadequate catering services, poor sanitation, and the refusal of management to engage meaningfully with student leaders.
They also accused the college’s principal, Madam Ellen Dwamena, of introducing changes to the feeding arrangements that had significantly reduced the quality and quantity of meals provided.
Students claimed that under the previous principal, each student received three meals a day after paying a feeding fee of GH¢1,800.
They alleged that the current administration had reduced the feeding arrangements despite students paying the same fee.
Some protesters called for the removal of the principal, describing her leadership style as autocratic and insensitive to students’ welfare.
Student leaders said the demonstration became necessary only after all internal efforts to resolve the issues had failed.
Student alleges police assault
One female student claimed she suffered a blood clot in her eye after allegedly being assaulted by police officers during the protest.
According to her, the demonstration remained peaceful throughout and the students posed no threat to anyone.
“It was a peaceful and harmless demonstration. We were not armed; we were not even holding a cane,” she said.
She alleged that police officers initially accompanied the students peacefully until the college’s Dean approached a police vehicle and held discussions with the officers.
“The Dean went to sit inside the police car and we don’t know what transpired. After he got down, the police started fighting against us. We were brutally assaulted,” she alleged.
The student claimed officers beat and kicked her during the ensuing confrontation.
“Personally, I was beaten and kicked by the police, and my head landed in a big gutter. I have a blood clot in my eye,” she said.
She maintained that the students neither insulted the police nor threw stones before the alleged assault.
“We did nothing. We didn’t insult anyone or pelt stones. We were not violent at any point, and we didn’t cause any chaos. They just arrested and harassed some of us,” she stated.
The student also criticised the college’s management for failing to respond to the incident or offer support to injured students.
“The school authorities have said nothing about it,” she said.
She further alleged that after the protest, police officers later went to her hostel and escorted her to the Divisional Police Command, where she was held for more than three hours.
“I was at the hostel when they sent people to bring me to the Divisional Command. We sat there for more than three hours. The principal and the dean went into the commander’s office but just drove off without saying anything, so we had to return to the school,” she recounted.
Conflicting accounts
While students insist the protest remained peaceful throughout, another account indicated that the situation escalated after some demonstrators allegedly threw stones at police officers.
Following the confrontation, police reportedly fired warning shots to disperse the crowd and arrested a number of students.
The Ghana Police Service is yet to issue an official statement responding to allegations of assault or explain the circumstances that led to the use of force.
NUGS condemns incident
The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has strongly condemned the alleged assault on the trainees, describing the reported use of force against unarmed students as unacceptable.
In a statement signed by its President, Rashid Ibrahim, Esq., NUGS said the students had resorted to a peaceful demonstration only after exhausting all available internal mechanisms for resolving their grievances.
The union stressed that the 1992 Constitution guarantees every Ghanaian the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration, adding that students do not lose those rights because they are on a school campus.
“NUGS strongly condemns the reported assault on these students. The use of force against unarmed students who were peacefully expressing their concerns is unacceptable and has no place in a democratic society,” the statement said.
The student body called on the Ministry of Health and the management of the Techiman Krobo Nursing and Midwifery Training College to ensure that injured students receive immediate medical attention while taking urgent steps to resolve the welfare concerns that triggered the protest.
The incident has renewed concerns over the handling of student demonstrations and the use of force by law enforcement officers during campus protests, with calls growing for an independent investigation into the events that unfolded at the college.
