The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) led by the Chief Executive, Hon Sule Salifu, has taken steps to demolish all illegal structures found on school lands in the northern regional capital. The move comes on the back of concerns raised by the Ghana Education Service about people putting up structures on school lands haphazardly.
“We have been monitoring the situation and it appears now that things are getting worse and as a result of that, Tamale Metropolitan Security Council (MESEC) met and took a decision to visit those sites and to map up strategies to see how we can curb the illegal occupation of our school lands” the Mayor said.
He noted the continuous encroachment of school lands in the metropolis will not be tolerated so that in the near future the need for expansion could not be carried out.
“The Security Council decided to visit the Bamvim Presby Primary and Junior High School and fortunately when we arrived there the school had documentations up to date and the technocrats within the assembly would go through it to see the end boundaries of the school land so that all illegal structures and occupants would be removed from that place” he stated.
The Chief Executive added the concerns being raised from the community would’ve to be measured against the official documents of the lands of the school to inform the MESEC on the next line of action.
“…When you get to the school, you will see that there is no land anywhere for the school except the one the school authorities are trying to protect; so as city authorities and managers, it behooves on all of us to assist the Ghana Education Service maintain the land for future purposes” Mr. Sule Salifu emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Metro Director of Education of the Tamale Metropolis, Amatus D Tug-uu, told journalists the encroachment in the schools does not give pupils the peace of mind to study.
“When the pupils are sitting in the classrooms and activities are ongoing around the school, it is difficult to concentrate. There must be a conducive environment for them but here is the case they are in the classroom and activities are ongoing and their minds are on activities outside the classroom and that affects teaching and learning” he explained.
