Mavis Hawa Koomson
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to conduct a swift, thorough, independent and transparent investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving 19 female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).
The party, through its National Women’s Organiser, Mavis Hawa Koomson, also called for the protection of the affected students and their families against possible intimidation, victimisation and reprisals.
In a statement issued yesterday in response to media reports, Mrs. Koomson said the allegations of rape, sexual harassment, sexual assault and other forms of abuse involving the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, were deeply disturbing.
She said reports that some of the alleged incidents had been brought to the attention of school authorities as far back as March 2026, without meaningful action to protect the students or address their complaints, raised serious concerns.
Mrs. Koomson said any failure by the school authorities to act, if established, would constitute grave negligence of their duty of care and a breach of their responsibility to protect children under their supervision.
“As a mother, a professional teacher and an advocate for the rights and welfare of women and children, I consider these allegations profoundly troubling,” she said.
She urged the police to ensure that anyone found culpable was subjected to the appropriate legal processes, irrespective of their political affiliation, social standing or institutional position.
“Justice must be pursued without fear or favour. Accountability must know no political boundaries, and the protection of our children must remain a shared national responsibility,” she stated.
The NPP Women’s Organiser expressed particular concern about reports of possible intimidation and reprisals against the students and their families, insisting that measures must be put in place to guarantee their safety and protect their identities throughout the investigation and any subsequent judicial proceedings.
She also called for a safe, confidential and supportive environment to encourage other potential victims to report similar experiences without fear of retaliation.
Mrs. Koomson urged the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to collaborate with child protection organisations and other relevant support groups to provide the affected students and their families with professional counselling, psychological care, medical assistance and other necessary support.
She said the best interests of the child must remain the paramount consideration in all decisions concerning the matter, in accordance with the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560).
Beyond the allegations, Mrs. Koomson said the case raised broader questions about safeguarding arrangements, reporting procedures, supervisory responsibilities and accountability mechanisms in educational institutions.
She therefore urged the GES to undertake a comprehensive review of its child protection policies, particularly those governing the professional conduct of teachers, headmasters, school administrators and other personnel responsible for students.
According to her, every school must have effective and enforceable systems to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation, respond promptly to complaints as well as ensure the physical and psychological safety of students.
She further appealed to women across the country, particularly the Vice President, to take a keen and sustained interest in the matter and use their voices and institutional influence to help secure justice for the affected students and strengthen protections for girls in schools.
Mrs. Koomson called on state institutions, civil society organisations, child protection advocates, traditional and religious leaders, and the general public to support an independent and credible investigation.
By Ernest Kofi Adu
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