Police avert clash over school land

THE timely intervention of the police at Tamale on Tuesday averted a clash between two rival groups who are fighting over a piece of land housing the Kaladan Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Primary School.

One group, which supports the Dakpema one of the two Tamale chiefs, who are said to have sold part of the school land to a private businessman, armed themselves and stormed the site on Monday, threatening to attack any person who interfered with the development of the land by the businessman.

The group coerced the school authorities to close down.

The other group, led by one ex-Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Tijani Imoro, had earlier prevented the private businessman from developing the land, insisting that it was school property.

The group admitted that since the SDA were the custodians of the land, it was not proper to sell the school land to a private person.

But for the shuttle diplomacy of Mr David Walenkaki, Northern Regional Police Commander, the two groups would have clashed.

Mr Walenkaki told the GNA that the Dakpema had agreed to temporarily halt further development on the disputed land until an amicable solution was found.

A visit to the school yesterday morning saw classes in session but the teachers said they were not sure of their safety.