DSP Godwin Ahianyo, Head of Public Affairs at the Ashanti Regional Police Command, has attributed the recent surge in gun-related incidents in senior high schools to the negative influence of social media.
He made this statement during an interview while discussing the current security situation in Ashanti Region.
According to DSP Ahianyo, there have been two separate incidents this year involving students wielding firearms on campus. The first occurred at Adventist Senior High School, where a female student was tragically shot in the eye. The second incident took place at Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS), where a student was caught in possession of a firearm during a routine dormitory search.
He expressed grave concern over the possession and proliferation of guns among students, describing it as a worrying trend. “The wielding of arms is becoming a major concern in our senior high schools,” he warned.
DSP Ahianyo explained that the firearm recovered at OKESS was a locally made pistol, which is not registered in Ghana and is illegal to possess under any circumstances.
He emphasized that both the student and his father have been arrested and are currently standing trial in court, reinforcing the police’s stance that parents will be held accountable if minors are found in possession of firearms. “If the son is arrested, the father too will be arrested,” he stressed.
He further stated that the police have decided to engage the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other stakeholders to address the menace and reduce such incidents to the barest minimum.
DSP Ahianyo blamed social media as a key factor influencing this dangerous behavior. “These students go online, Google what is happening around the world, and out of youthful exuberance, they take their parents’ guns and bring them to school,” he lamented.
He also pointed out that the incident at Adventist SHS served as a wake-up call, prompting stricter surveillance in other schools, which led to the discovery of the weapon at OKESS.
In a strong appeal, he advised parents to actively engage with their wards, warning that the consequences of inaction could be dire.
