Parliament’s Standing Committee on Gender, Children and Social Welfare has demanded a thorough Obuasi SHTS abuse probe, including scrutiny of officials who may have received earlier complaints but failed to act.
In a statement issued on Friday, October 23, the Committee said allegations involving female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School required both criminal investigation and a wider examination of safeguarding failures within the education system.
The controversy gained national attention following Manasseh Azure Awuni’s investigative documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow, which reported allegations of rape, sexual harassment and assault involving several female students.
The allegations centre on the school’s interdicted headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai. He has denied wrongdoing and said he intends to use lawful means to clear his name. The claims have not been proven in court.
“Every child has the right to safety, dignity and an education free from abuse, intimidation and exploitation,” the Committee said.
Committee Wants Earlier Complaints Examined
The Committee asked the Ghana Education Service and the Criminal Investigations Department to establish not only what happened to the students but also how earlier complaints were handled.
It said anyone found responsible through direct involvement, concealment or failure to carry out safeguarding duties should face the appropriate disciplinary or criminal consequences.
JoyNews’ investigation reported that complaints involving students had reached education officials and other authorities before Mr Abdulai’s interdiction, raising questions about whether the concerns were acted on with sufficient urgency.
“Schools must be places of learning and protection, not environments where those entrusted with the care of children exploit their vulnerability or abuse their authority,” the parliamentary committee said.
The GES has interdicted Mr Abdulai while investigations continue.
Police have clarified that he was arrested following a complaint filed by one student on August 4 and was subsequently granted bail.
Investigators have completed work on that particular complaint and forwarded the docket to the Attorney General for advice. Police say allegations involving other students would require further investigation as they formally come to their attention.
Due Process Must Not Become Excuse for Inaction
The Committee stressed that Mr Abdulai remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.
It warned, however, that respect for due process should not be used to delay legitimate investigations or shield anyone from scrutiny.
“No position, political affiliation or institutional interest should place any person beyond scrutiny or above the law,” the statement said.
The Committee also welcomed steps taken by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister Agnes Naa Momo Lartey to engage with Mr Awuni and obtain information from the investigation.
Public reporting confirms that the Gender Minister met the journalist as authorities considered support and protection measures for the students concerned.
Students, Families and Witnesses Need Protection
For the Committee, criminal accountability is only one part of the response.
It called for confidential counselling, appropriate medical care and other support for affected students, warning against intimidation, retaliation and stigmatisation.
Families, witnesses and whistleblowers should also be protected, it said.
The Committee appealed to media organisations and members of the public not to publish material that could expose the identities of the students or subject them to further harm.
“The immediate safety and welfare of affected students must remain paramount,” it said.
Committee Welcomes Abdulai’s Withdrawal From NDC Race
The parliamentary body also noted the political developments surrounding Mr Abdulai, who served as the National Democratic Congress constituency secretary for Juaben and had been seeking election as constituency chairman.
The NDC’s Functional Executive Committee directed him to step aside from the chairmanship contest pending the CID investigation, while making clear that the decision did not amount to a finding of guilt.
Mr Abdulai subsequently resigned as constituency secretary and withdrew from the chairmanship race on October 20.
In his resignation letter, he said he wanted to concentrate his attention and resources on clearing his name and expressed hope of returning to active politics after the matter had been resolved.
The Committee said those developments reinforced the principle that political positions should not prevent lawful scrutiny.
Parliament Wants Wider Safeguarding Review
The Committee wants the case to trigger changes beyond Obuasi SHTS.
It called for a comprehensive assessment of how schools receive and handle complaints of sexual misconduct, with students given confidential and accessible channels for reporting abuse.
Clear procedures should determine how complaints are documented, escalated to the appropriate authorities and investigated without unnecessary delay.
The Committee also praised Mr Awuni and the JoyNews investigative team for bringing the allegations into the public domain, describing investigative journalism as important to exposing suspected wrongdoing and forcing institutions to account for how vulnerable children are protected.
“The protection of children is non-negotiable,” the statement said. “Due process must be upheld, the truth must be established, and anyone found responsible must face the full consequences of the law.”
Chairperson Helen Adjoa Ntoso said the Committee would continue exercising parliamentary oversight as investigations proceed.
