Ablakwa denies being pelted with stones

A Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says reports that he was chased away from an educational programme at Kumasi’s Wesley College have been exaggerated.

College of education students of the Ashanti Region had gathered at the Wesley College campus for the Ministry of Education-powered Campus Connect programme, which is aimed at bringing governance to the doorstep of students.

But reports said the teacher trainees got up the moment the Deputy Education Minister was invited to speak.

Reports in the media suggested that sachet water as well as stones were pelted at the former student leader.

“The sachet water was aimed at those who had come to listen to us,” Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa explained to TV3 on Thursday.

“They just wanted to disrupt the programme. It was not directed at us.”

The Deputy Minister was accompanied to the programme by Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS) Dr Michael Kpessah Whyte, Deputy Chief of Staff Johnny Osei Kofi, Acting Executive Director of the Youth Employment Agency Kobby Acheampong and Deputy Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu.

“I have heard some people say we were running for our lives like Usain Bolt and they were throwing stones at us.”

He said those “sensational reports” should be ignored.