Former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba, has condemned allegations of sexual abuse at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), calling for justice, protection and emotional support for the affected students.
Speaking on JoyNews on Friday, October 23, 2026, Djaba described the allegations involving the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, as disturbing and unacceptable. She urged Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to visit the affected students and provide reassurance as the matter is investigated.
Djaba stressed that the response must go beyond legal procedures to ensure the safety, privacy and welfare of the students. She warned that intimidation, victimisation and interference could discourage victims and witnesses from speaking out and undermine efforts to establish the facts.
She also cautioned against attempts to settle the allegations privately, insisting that the appropriate legal and institutional processes must be followed. Djaba called for protection for teachers who reported the alleged abuse and journalists who brought the matter to public attention.
Calls for Accountability Over Obuasi SHS Allegations
The controversy follows an investigative report titled “Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow,” which alleged that headmaster Zakaria Abdulai sexually assaulted at least 19 female students and attempted to conceal the alleged acts through bribes. The claims remain allegations and must be established through due process.
Chairman of Parliament’s Human Rights Committee, Ernest Yaw Anim, has called for a speedy prosecution and the maximum applicable sentence if the accused is found guilty. The Minority in Parliament has also requested an independent parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
Meanwhile, Human Rights and Development Services, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) have announced plans for sensitisation campaigns in senior high schools to encourage students to report sexual violence.
Presidential staffer Beatrice Annan and Member of Parliament Hajia Fatahiya Abdul Aziz have also condemned the alleged exploitation and emphasised the responsibility of school authorities to provide safe learning environments.
Djaba’s intervention adds to growing demands for accountability, stronger child protection measures and effective systems for reporting sexual abuse in Ghanaian schools. Stakeholders say the priority must be to protect affected students, prevent retaliation and ensure a thorough investigation that respects the rights of everyone involved.
Source: newsthemegh.com