Akosua Manu urges Veep Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to intervene in Obuasi SHTS abuse case

The Advisor on Gender and Social Protection to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Akosua Manu, has called on Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to use her office and influence to ensure justice for students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) following allegations of sexual abuse.

She said the Vice President’s position as a woman in a historic leadership role carried significant meaning for Ghanaian girls and, therefore, must produce tangible improvements in their safety and welfare.

In an op-ed titled “A Party Card Is Not a Certificate of Immunity,” published on her social media platforms on Monday, October 19, 2026, Akosua Manu challenged the Vice President to translate her advocacy for girls into practical measures that protect them from abuse.

“Your voice and influence must help secure an impartial response, even where it requires uncomfortable questions within your own political circles,” she said.

She noted that the allegations at Obuasi SHTS raised broader concerns about the handling of sexual misconduct complaints in schools, particularly reports that earlier complaints had been made but apparently remained unresolved.

“According to investigative reporting, students raised complaints, teachers expressed concerns, and petitions reached the relevant authorities. Each was an opportunity to establish the facts and protect the girls. Yet the complaints apparently remained unresolved,” she noted.

She said the circumstances demanded answers about what authorities knew, when they became aware of the complaints, and what steps they took to protect the students.

She urged the Vice President to ensure that the allegations were investigated without political interference, emphasising that political affiliation should neither determine the treatment of complaints nor shield anyone from accountability.

The gender advocate also called on the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to provide clear answers on the support being offered to the alleged victims and their families.

She asked the Ministry to outline measures to prevent intimidation, protect the students’ privacy and education, and guarantee their access to justice.

“Representation must translate into protection,” she stressed, arguing that the responsibility to safeguard children rested with the entire government, particularly institutions mandated to protect vulnerable people.

Beyond the immediate case, Akosua Manu called for an independent review of how allegations of sexual misconduct were handled across schools, insisting that students needed confidential reporting channels outside the authority of the persons they accused.

Akosua Manu commended investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and other journalists who brought the allegations to national attention, but warned that investigative journalism should not become a substitute for effective child-protection institutions.

She concluded by advocating for the protection of victims against retaliation, prompt referral of suspected criminal offences to the appropriate investigative authorities, and professional support for affected students.