GES Storekeeper Stole 'Free' Uniforms Meant For Students

A storekeeper of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has been caught allegedly stealing uniforms meant for deprived pupils in Bolgantanga in the Upper East region.

Accra-based Starr FM reports that the storekeeper, whose name is yet to be identified, was caught whiles attempting to transport the items to the market to be sold.

The storekeeper reportedly brought a motor tricycle rider to the premises of the Upper East Regional Education Directorate to transport the stolen school uniforms.

However, he was accosted by some young men in the community before he could leave the grounds with the said items.

Storekeeper (pointed) arguing with some young men (Starrfmonline.com)

Upon a search, one hundred packs of school uniforms meant for deprived school children in the region were found in the motor tricycle.

An eyewitness said they had observed that the storekeeper normally arrived when nobody is around and left with a bulk of the school uniforms.

'We were here to work on our vehicles. And we saw him packing these things (school uniforms) from the regional education stores into this tricycle. We apparently had information from some nearby people that he has been doing this and they are sets of uniforms,' an eyewitness, Urban Akagwire, narrated.

'He sends them to the market to go and sell. We [intercepted] the vehicle and truly we saw that there was a sack of uniforms, hundred packs. And when we stopped them, they didn't even want to stop. We had to force them to stop. And when we asked where the [items] were going to during this weekend— a weekend generally not a time when you do official distribution of commodities— he said that he was sending them to Mr. Duncan, the Director for Pusiga, Ghana Education Service,' he added.

An eyewitness, Urban Akagwire holds one of the uniforms in the tricycle (Starrfmonline.com)

Meanwhile, the embattled storekeeper defended himself, saying the Pusiga District Director of Education, Duncan Nsoh, asked him to bring the uniforms for distribution to some pupils.

However, he was later exposed when the District Director of Education arrived and said he had not authorized him to bring any uniforms.

'Even if it is anything at all, I have never taken anything here without signing [for it]. It should be a weekday where you would sign and pick them, but not an ordinary day like this. I just want to get any of the directors close so that they come to be witnesses,' Mr. Nsoh told the press upon arrival at the scene.

'They should be able to get down to everything and solve it. When I came, he (the storekeeper) told them again that he didn't say he was bringing the things to me. But actually, it's not palatable at all because at this point, our area, we are talking of poverty, poverty, poverty. And if we continue to do things like this it would aggravate the already-deprived nature we are suffering from.'