GHANASS Matron busted for stealing

• Posted on November 30, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

MADAM COMFORT Oduro Bruce, senior matron of Ghana Senior High School popularly known as GHANASS in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, has been invited by the regional police command over an alleged stealing of some foodstuffs meant for the students and selling them outside.

The matron, as gathered, was reportedly caught pants down by the chief security man of the school, Kofi Kanjagan, when she and the driver (one Alfred) was transporting the foodstuffs with the Regional Ghana Education Service vehicle with registration number, GN 6717-15, over the weekend.

She was allegedly assisted by one of her staff, Appiah, who later exposed the rot on Oman Fm – an Accra-based radio station – after Kwame Baffoe aka Abronye DC, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Youth Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) had been informed about the alleged criminal act.

Mr Kofi Kanjaga confirmed to us that the matron, who was transferred from Krobo-Odumase Girls’ SHS to the school last year, had been stealing foodstuffs meant to feed GHANAS students – particularly the first years, as part of the government’s Free SHS policy – and selling them outside on daily basis.

According to him, the action of Madam Comfort Oduro had been causing food shortage in the school, making the students complain of insufficient meals being served to them.

Mr Kanjaga disclosed that on 16^th November, 2017, at 7pm, the matron packed the big truck with sacks of gari, cartons of milk, rice, tins of Milo, cartons of tomatoes, among other items.

He said he had information that Madam Oduro had packed the food items into the truck and so he ordered the junior security man to block the main road so they used logs and stones to block it. When the driver got to the main gate, Kofi said, he ordered them to return the foodstuffs to the store, but the matron asked the driver to drive at top speed which Alfred did, and nearly knocked him (Kofi Kanjaga) down.

He added that after the incident he called the headmaster and even wrote an official report to him that very night but he (headmaster) refused to cause their arrest and allowed them to transport the foodstuffs away.

He indicated further that thereafter a five-member committee comprising the two assistant headmasters, senior house master and mistress and the bursar was setup by the headmaster, Rev Abraham Osei Donkor, to investigate the matter. He maintained that after the investigation, the report has been kept inside the headmaster’s drawer and has refused to take action on it.

Audio  

In an audio recording, Madam Comfort Oduro was heard saying, “Appiah, you know the truth is out; please save my image; don’t tell them I am begging you. Everybody eats from his job, even the headmaster has been taking 20 million old cedis as bribe from parents before admitting their wards, which we all known, that’s what he is using to put up the storey building.”

When we stormed the school Wednesday morning with intent to verify from Rev. Abraham Osei Donkor what the situation was, the receptionist prevented the reporter from seeing him.

However, the Regional Education Public Relations Officer, one Acheampong, said he was on leave and so could not comment on the matter.

The Eastern Regional police have invited Rev. Abraham Osei Donkor, the matron and the security man for interrogations.

The Regional Police PRO, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, told us at press time that the suspects had been invited over the alleged stealing, even though an official complaint hadn’t been made yet.

FROM Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua