Staff of Bolgatanga Nurses Training College embarked on sit down strike whilst students of the college staged demonstration over bad conditions in the school.
Among issues raised by them are lack of accommodation for students, lack of proper sanitation, breach of procurement law, and misappropriation of college funds. Bolgatanga nurses training college for the past 65 years have not seen any facelift as the growing population put pressure on the old facilities.
The students and staff embarked on their actions as a way of expressing their displeasure over the bad conditions confronting the school. They took TV3 news crew round the facilities to expose the deplorable condition they live in.
The leader of staff of the college, Edward Atiim said “The principal is sidelining us in the activities of the college and we think is not the best as a tertiary institution”. He noted, “just look at our staff common room, does this befit us? The classrooms are in bad state, in fact the whole school is in a mess”. Some students also shared their frustrations. “We pay huge sums of money yet see our hostels.
We defecate outside and we are sometimes attack by residents. We don’t know where the monies go, just look at our assembly hall, it is leaking and our hostels too. We will burn down the school if there is no change,” an angry student said.
The students later presented their petition to the health directorate and the office of the Upper East Regional Minister. Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Ayine Bukari paid a visit to the college few hours after the demonstration and assured them of quick response to their issues.
The staff have therefore opened the principal’s office which they locked since yesterday and have also removed the red bands after an appeal from the regional minister.
