Ghana's president pardons 8 students who allegedly insulted him

ACCRA, Ghana

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo has pardoned eight senior female high school students who allegedly insulted him in a viral video.

They allegedly used vulgar and unprintable words against the president.

According to a Friday statement from the Ministry of Education, the president had directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to consider an alternative disciplinary action instead of dismissal.

The GES dismissed the Chiana Senior High School students in northern Ghana on Thursday, after concluding investigations into the video they recorded on Nov. 22, 2022.

The GES said the students behaved in "very undesirable and contrary to the acceptable standards of conduct generally required of any student in our Educational system in Ghana."

One parent told local media that the decision had traumatised her daughter, and pleaded for clemency.

The minority in Ghana's parliament demanded that the decision be reversed immediately later on Thursday.

Second-year students are expected to be recalled after the president's intervention.