The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Dr William Amankrah Appiah, and the Obuasi Municipal Director of Education, Kwamena Owusu-Nketiah, to step aside with immediate effect as investigations continue into allegations of sexual misconduct involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and signed by its Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, the GES said the directive was intended to ensure the investigation proceeds without interference or the perception of interference.
The two directors have been instructed to hand over their offices and all state property in their possession to the Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Thomas Kwame Boateng.
The GES also reaffirmed that Mr Abdulai remains interdicted, dismissing reports circulating that he had been cleared.
“The public is urged to ignore any news making the rounds that the headmaster has been cleared,” the statement said.
Management of the Service called for calm, support and cooperation as investigations into the matter continue.
The directive follows mounting pressure from civil society organisations, including RISE-Ghana, over the handling of the allegations against Mr Abdulai.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has also directed Mr Abdulai to step aside from the Juaben Constituency Chairmanship race pending the outcome of an investigation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
A JoyNews investigation by Manasseh Azure Awuni reported that municipal authorities, education officials and other influential figures had received reports concerning alleged sexual abuse by the headmaster months before his suspension.
The number of students alleging abuse has reportedly risen to 16.
The Education Ministry has directed the CID to investigate the allegations.
The decision to have the two education directors step aside comes as authorities face calls to establish how the allegations were handled and ensure the investigation proceeds without interference.
The GES has urged stakeholders to cooperate with the process as investigators work to establish the facts.
The allegations against Mr Abdulai have not been established, and he remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.