Kwame Sarpong Asiedu, a Democracy and Development Fellow in Public Health at CDD-Ghana, has quizzed the Ghana Education Service (GES) on how the headmaster at the centre of the Obuasi Senior High Technical School sexual abuse allegations was appointed, despite claims of sexual misconduct against him.
According to Mr Sarpong Asiedu, allegations concerning Zakari Abdulai’s previous role as an assistant headmaster at another school raise serious concerns about oversight and accountability within the Ghana Education Service (GES).
He argued that the authorities must establish whether the earlier allegations were reported to education officials and, if so, how they were handled before Mr Abdulai was appointed headmaster.
Mr Sarpong Asiedu also questioned whether promoting someone facing unresolved allegations to a position of greater authority could expose students to further harm.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, Kwame Sarpong Asiedu stated, “If that was known, under what circumstances did this person get to be a headmaster?”
He noted that education professionals are expected to safeguard students’ health, saying, “That is, as a parent, if I bring my child to you to take care of them in a boarding house, I am devolving my responsibility as a parent to you, so you are acting in my stead”.
“Therefore, it is understandable that they will be asked to step aside because their complicity has to be investigated as well. Whether it was knowingly or unknowingly, it has to be investigated,” he said.
He further expressed concern about what he described as a wider culture of protectionism, saying, “So, you can see that this cloak of protectionism is wider both in the school and extra the school”.
Mr Sarpong Asiedu questioned whether the allegations would have received similar attention if students had not staged a revolt, which brought the matter into the public spotlight.
“And let’s ask ourselves, if that revolt hadn’t happened by the students, would we have been having this conversation?” he asked.
Meanwhile, the interdicted headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, Zakaria Abdulai, has broken his silence concerning the allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students against him.
Zakaria Abdulai, in the statement, resigned as Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Juaben Constituency and withdrew from the party’s upcoming constituency chairmanship elections.
According to the Obuasi SHTS headmaster, he pledged to pursue all lawful avenues to clear his name and return to active political engagement.
He thanked friends, relatives and well-wishers who have continued to support him, saying he intends to focus on clearing his name as investigations into the allegations proceed.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, Mr Abdulai stated, “At this time, I intend to devote my attention and resources to pursuing all lawful avenues to clear my name and vindicate my position. I remain hopeful that, once these matters are resolved, I will be able to return to active political engagement and continue contributing to the ideals and aspirations of the NDC,” he stated.
“I wish to express my profound gratitude to my friends, relatives, and all well-wishers who have stood by me and maintained their faith in my innocence in the face of the allegations levelled against me and my office,” he said.
Additionally, one of the victims featured in Manasseh Azure Awuni’s investigative documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow, has recounted an alleged sexual abuse incident involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (Obuasi SHTS).
The victim, identified as Victim A, described how the headmaster allegedly subjected her to sexual abuse while she was in his bungalow.
According to the Victim, he was raped by the headmaster of Obuasi SHTS but never got justice, even after reporting the incident to the appropriate authorities.
Speaking in the documentary, Victim A stated, “He held my hand and used it to rub his manhood, took off my shorts and forced himself on me. After that, he gave me GH¢100 and warned me not to mention it to anyone.”
Also, another Victim identified as Victim B alleged that the headmaster gave her oil and instructed her to stroke his private parts. When she refused, he allegedly threatened her, reminding her that he had locked her inside the bungalow and that nobody knew she was there.
“He gave me oil and asked me to stroke his private parts. When I refused, he reminded me that he had locked me in and nobody knew I was in his bungalow, threatening that he could kill me and nobody would find out. He ejaculated four times before allowing me to leave,” she recounted.
Their account forms part of the allegations presented in the documentary by Manasseh Azure, which examines claims of sexual abuse involving the headmaster and raises questions about how school authorities responded to complaints from students.
@ghnow_ “He held my hands and rubbed them on his manhood” – Victim recounts alleged sexual abuse involving Obuasi Sec Tech headmaster. Source: Joy News #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ “He ejaculated four times before allowing me to go” – Victim recounts alleged sexual assault by Obuasi Sec Tech headmaster. Source: Joy News #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
