Acting Deputy CEO of the Ghana Gaming Commission, Lawyer Lamtiig Apanga has questioned what he describes as a growing moral decline in Ghana following a violent assault involving Senior High School students that has drawn national attention.
According to him, the incident reflects deeper failures within the country’s moral institutions.
Speaking on TV on February 24 as monitored by NewsDesksGh, Lawyer Apanga noted, “It appears as a country we have not properly managed our moral upbringings very well.”
He referenced the 2017 killing of Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, noting how the nation widely condemned that act of mob violence.
“We saw what happened to Major Mahama, and the way the whole country condemned it and everyone spoke about it. It sometimes surprises me that in less than 5 years you are finding similar behaviour in certain parts of our community, and it’s worrying.”
Lamtiig Apanga then identified what he described as the three major moral institutions in society, which are the family, religious bodies such as churches and mosques, and schools.
He argued that parents play a foundational role long before children reach secondary school.
“By the time the child gets to secondary school, you the parents would have contributed about 15 years of raising the child. So you can’t entirely blame a secondary school for not having done enough.”
He further questioned the impact of religious institutions on public conduct.
“Our churches became the platform for instilling love, care, respect for each other. What has happened to us? There have been several churches springing up in every corner of this country, why is it not translating in the way we conduct ourselves.”
Lawyer Apanga further linked the incident to broader societal concerns, including corruption and conduct in the public sector.
“Today there’s more and more increase in immorality that it was. It appears that the moral institutions are shifting away from their core mandate,” he stressed.
The comments follow a brutal attack on a student from Obrachire Senior High Technical School, who was assaulted by a mob of students reportedly from Swedru School of Business (SWESBUS).
A viral video circulating on social media showed the victim being pelted with stones and physically beaten, eventually leading to his hospitalisation.
Following a 24-hour ultimatum issued by the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, three students namely Joseph Amoh (20), Benedict Appiah (18), and Bilal Mamud (18) were handed over to the police on February 23, 2026.
They are currently in police custody and are expected to face court charges as investigations continue.
