Some local scrap dealers are suspected as being behind the theft
Some unknown individuals have looted the Akyem Oda St Andrews Anglican Primary ‘B’ School in the Birim Central Municipality, stripping the facility of its roofing sheets, burglar-proof fittings, and electrical components.
The audacious theft has left classrooms, offices, a store, and the staff common room exposed to the elements of the weather, exacerbating the challenges of the school as the rainy season looms.
According to a graphic.com.gh report, the perpetrators also targeted a nine-seater water closet toilet facility, donated by former Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, damaging the sewerage system by stealing electrical cables, switches, and taps.
The incident, described as unprecedented by local authorities, has disrupted learning, forcing the school to merge its ‘A’ and ‘B’ streams into congested classrooms.
Papa Yaw Amoah, the assembly member for the Aseneye Electoral Area, has attributed the theft to the absence of a security guard, who had recently resigned, and the school’s closure for vacation.
He is reported to have pointed to two foreign scrap dealers, previously arrested for stealing from the same school, as possible suspects. Although the duo was granted bail by the Oda District Magistrate’s Court, Mr Amoah alleged they continue to engage in criminal activities in the area.
Mr Amoah appealed to well-to-do residents and non-governmental organisations to assist in re-roofing the school to protect its wooden structures from further damage.
The Oda Municipal Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Asare-Quansah, who is said to have visited the scene with his team, expressed concern over the scale of the theft.
He vowed to intensify investigations to apprehend the culprits and ensure they face justice, aiming to deter similar crimes in the municipality.
GA/BAI
