The Director of Policy Engagement and Partnerships at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr Kojo Asante, has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to prevent the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School from contesting the Juaben constituency chairmanship amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
He says the allegations against the headmaster should be thoroughly investigated before political considerations are allowed to take precedence over accountability and the protection of children.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, October 16, Dr Asante described the reported institutional failures surrounding the case as “mind-boggling”, questioning why concerns allegedly raised over an extended period did not trigger decisive action.
His comments follow a directive by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, for the Ghana Education Service (GES) to suspend the headmaster over the allegations.
Dr Asante said he was particularly concerned that the headmaster could be allowed to pursue a political position while serious allegations remained unresolved.
He cautioned against allowing political interests or pressure from constituents to undermine the need for a proper investigation, arguing that the allegations should be sufficient to prompt serious scrutiny of his candidacy.
The CDD-Ghana official said he was deeply troubled by the potential lifelong psychological consequences of the alleged abuse on the affected students, urging the public to consider the harm the reported incidents could cause.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the school’s oversight structures, including the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), teachers, school management and other local stakeholders, given reports that the concerns had persisted for about a year.
“It is a system failure that is mind-boggling,” he said, expressing concern that it took an investigative documentary by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni to bring the matter to national attention.
Dr Asante argued that the failure to act decisively on earlier reports could have exposed more students to harm, insisting that the case required a comprehensive investigation beyond the immediate circumstances of the student unrest.
He stressed that allegations of sexual assault constitute a criminal matter and should not be treated solely as an administrative issue by the GES.
According to him, the police must investigate the allegations, while the relevant authorities ensure that students are protected from potential further harm.
He also questioned whether previous investigations had adequately examined the allegations that reportedly prompted the students’ protest, arguing that the inquiry should not focus exclusively on the unrest.
Dr Asante said the underlying concerns must be addressed and those found culpable held accountable to prevent similar incidents.
He warned that the case reflected a broader problem of accountability in Ghana, questioning how institutions could be expected to enforce responsibility at the highest levels of government if alleged misconduct at the school and municipal levels was not addressed effectively.
“If we cannot hold a headmaster in Obuasi responsible and accountable for criminal conduct, how are we going to be holding a president responsible?” he asked.
He called for a decisive response from the education authorities, law enforcement agencies and relevant political actors, stressing that protecting children and ensuring accountability must take precedence over partisan interests.