Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has assured Ghanaians that political affiliations will not influence investigations into allegations of sexual abuse involving the interdicted headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai, insisting that anyone found culpable will face the appropriate legal and administrative consequences.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, October 26, 2026, Mr Iddrisu said the government would ensure that the investigation proceeded without political interference and that no accused person would be protected because of party loyalty or political connections.
His assurance follows growing public concern over allegations involving female students at the school and calls by women’s rights organisations and other advocacy groups for an independent investigation that guarantees accountability and justice for the alleged victims.
“I have observed some concerns raised by the women’s rights groups in Ghana urging us to ensure that political affiliations or party positions do not shield any accused persons. I assure you that we will do just that,” the Minister said.
The matter has attracted considerable public attention because Mr Abdulai previously served as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency secretary for Juaben and had expressed an interest in contesting the constituency chairmanship before withdrawing his candidature. He subsequently resigned from his position as constituency secretary amid mounting public concern over the allegations.
The NDC had also directed him to step aside to allow the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to conduct its inquiries without obstruction. The party has maintained that it will not shield him if the investigations establish his culpability.
Mr Iddrisu stressed that protecting students remained a statutory responsibility of the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), adding that both institutions would employ the necessary legal and administrative measures to safeguard learners and strengthen protections against sexual misconduct in educational institutions.
“The essence of this press briefing is to assure the Ghanaian public that the Ministry of Education and the GES will do everything appropriate to safeguard and ensure the protection of all students as a statutory duty. We would not fail in this endeavour. We intend to deploy all administrative and legal tools to achieve this,” he said.
The Minister described the allegations as a serious warning that required a comprehensive response from education authorities, policymakers and regulators. He called for stronger institutional safeguards to prevent abuse, improve the handling of complaints and ensure that students could pursue their education in safe environments.
He further urged parents, guardians and students to support efforts to strengthen student protection, emphasising that the government’s responsibility to safeguard young people must remain a priority.
Mr Iddrisu said the case would not be allowed to disappear from public attention without the necessary action, stressing that the government intended to pursue the matter through the appropriate administrative and legal processes.
The Minister had earlier referred the criminal allegations to the CID, while the Ghana Education Service interdicted Mr Abdulai pending the outcome of the investigations.
The case has also renewed calls for stronger reporting mechanisms within schools, alongside more effective supervision of teachers and school administrators to prevent the abuse of authority and ensure that allegations of misconduct receive appropriate attention.
Education authorities are expected to use the matter as an opportunity to review existing safeguards and address weaknesses in the systems designed to protect students. The Minister has called on stakeholders to work together to ensure that schools remain safe environments where learners are protected from abuse and exploitation.
However, the allegations against Mr Abdulai remain under investigation, and his culpability has not been established. The authorities are expected to determine the facts through the appropriate investigative and legal procedures.
