The Women’s Caucus of the Minority in Parliament has called for an independent inquiry into how authorities handled allegations of sexual abuse involving female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).
The Caucus wants the inquiry to establish when authorities first learned of the allegations, what steps were taken, and why the students were left struggling to get help.
It has also called for investigation into possible political interference to delay action, suppress complaints or shield the headmaster, insisting any official found to have obstructed justice must face sanctions.
“The inquiry findings must identify officials responsible for failures and recommend sanctions, but student identities must be protected in any published report,” it said.
Addressing the press in Parliament on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, said the interdiction of the headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, and subsequent actions by the police and Ghana Education Service do not address the core questions.
“These developments do not dispose of the central questions of when did the authorities first know, what did they do and why were these girls left seeking help?” she asked.
*Call for comprehensive probe*
Ms Appiagyei, who is MP for Asokwa, said the allegations, first reported by JoyNews, require a thorough investigation that prioritises the safety and dignity of the students while respecting the rights of the accused.
She said the headmaster is entitled to a fair investigation and the presumption of innocence.
“The girls are entitled to protection, to be heard and to have their complaints properly investigated and those duties cannot wait for a conviction,” she said.
She said authorities have a responsibility to protect the students and investigate without waiting for criminal proceedings to conclude.
Madam Appiagyei expressed concern over the police account, noting that while at least 19 girls have reportedly been affected, police on October 20 indicated that only one complaint, made in August, had been investigated and its docket forwarded to the Attorney-General for advice.
She called on the police to proactively and sensitively reach out to other potential complainants and take their statements as well.
“Frightened schoolgirls should not have to navigate official machinery unaided before the state takes an interest in their safety,” she said.
She said any failure by public officials to act, or any attempt to shift complaints from one office to another without providing protection, amounts to a serious dereliction of duty.
“The government must identify who failed these students and hold them accountable. A suspension announced after public exposure cannot settle the question of earlier institutional failure,” she said.
Demand for AG’s action
The Deputy Minority Leader called for prompt advice from the Attorney-General on the police docket and prosecution where evidence warrants it, as well as public updates on the investigation without compromising the complainants’ identities or safety.
Questioning the NDC’s handling of the matter, Madam Appiagyei said the Party’s response raises concerns about the priority given to the students’ welfare.
She noted that on October 19, the NDC’s Deputy General Secretary defended, allowing Abdulai to contest the Juaben constituency chairmanship despite the allegations, only to direct him to step aside the next day.
While welcoming the reversal, she said the party must explain why similar urgency was not shown earlier.
“The party found time to hear its official and considered his political ambitions. What comparable urgency did it show for the girls? Its leadership must explain that choice,” she said.
She urged government and the ruling party to show the same urgency in protecting schoolgirls who report abuse as they show in responding to public criticism.
“A government so sensitive to words spoken against it must show at least equal urgency when girls report violations of their bodies and dignity,” she said.
Police forwards Obuasi SHTS Headmaster’s rape case docket to Attorney-General for advice
