GES orders Ashanti and Obuasi directors to step aside over school probe

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has ordered the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Dr. William Amankrah Appiah, and the Obuasi Municipal Director, Kwamena Owusu-Nketiah, to step aside immediately. This directive aims to ensure an unimpeded investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Zakaria Abdulai, the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS). The GES emphasized that the officials must hand over their responsibilities to prevent any interference with the ongoing probe, while confirming that Abdulai remains under interdiction despite rumors of his clearance. The Ministry of Education has officially escalated the criminal aspects of the case to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

The scandal gained national attention following an investigative documentary by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which detailed allegations of rape and sexual harassment involving between 14 and 19 female students. Beyond the allegations against the headmaster, the investigation has uncovered a broader administrative crisis within the school. Jacob Anaba, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), revealed that 38 teachers were allegedly targeted for transfer or dismissal after they raised concerns about the headmaster’s conduct. Critics, including the Asante Youth Association, have accused regional and municipal education directors of failing to act on earlier reports, allowing the alleged abuse to persist for months.

The case has triggered significant political and social fallout. Abdulai, who served as the Juaben Constituency Secretary for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has resigned from his political roles and withdrawn his candidacy for a constituency chairmanship to focus on his legal defense. While Abdulai has vowed to use all legal means to clear his name, various groups have criticized the government’s response. Akosua Manu, an advisor to the NPP, described the interdiction as a "knee-jerk reaction" to public outcry rather than a result of proactive safeguarding. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka assured the public that the CID investigation will be thorough and that the matter will not be "swept under the carpet."

In the wake of the scandal, child rights advocates and women's organizations are demanding systemic reforms to protect students. Child Rights International has expressed a lack of confidence in the GES’s internal safety mechanisms, calling instead for the creation of an independent body to oversee student welfare and child protection. Groups such as the Network of Peace and Security Women in the ECOWAS Space (NOPSWECO-Ghana) have urged for the prosecution of any officials found to have been complicit in covering up the complaints. As the CID continues its inquiry, the Obuasi SHTS remains at the center of a national debate regarding the safety of female students and the accountability of educational administrators.