The Director of Public Engagement and Partnerships at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Kojo Pumpuni Asante, has called on the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to establish a task force to review safeguarding protocols in schools and ensure timely action on reports of sexual abuse.
He said clear timelines must be introduced for reporting and responding to allegations, allowing authorities to identify where delays occur and hold the responsible officials accountable.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show during a discussion on the alleged sexual abuse case involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai, Mr Asante said the review should establish clear procedures for handling complaints at every stage.
“I really want Honourable Haruna Iddrisu to set up a task force to review the protocols for safeguarding because, in terms of even the reporting, there has to be clear timelines,” he said.
He suggested that authorities should set specific deadlines, such as 14 days, for action on reports to ensure that complaints do not remain unattended for months.
“So that along the chain we can understand who has actually dropped the ball in trying to make sure that something as serious as this is addressed,” he added.
Mr Asante said clear timelines would make it more difficult for officials to avoid responsibility by claiming they had only recently received information about an incident that had been reported much earlier.
His call follows a JoyNews investigation by Manasseh Azure Awuni, which revealed that municipal authorities, education officials and other influential figures had received reports concerning alleged sexual abuse by the Obuasi SHTS headmaster months before his suspension.
Mr Asante also called for increased public education on sexual abuse, saying the authorities should use the attention generated by the Obuasi case to raise awareness and help prevent similar incidents.
He suggested that resources could be provided to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), working with the media, to educate the public on sexual abuse and safeguarding.
He said public education should form part of a broader response to the issue, alongside a review of reporting procedures and institutional responsibilities.
Mr Asante warned against relying on emergency responses whenever a major incident attracts public attention, arguing that such an approach would not address the underlying problems.
“We seem to be governing by crisis, you know, and we need to get beyond that because otherwise, we will not be able to solve any problem sustainably,” he said.
He said that the response to the Obuasi case should lead to lasting changes in how schools and relevant authorities prevent, report and respond to sexual abuse.
The CDD-Ghana director also urged authorities not to overlook the girls who had allegedly been harmed, saying there is a need to provide them with appropriate support.
“I think the support for the girls, as has been mentioned, we shouldn’t forget them, those who have really been harmed by this person, that we help them so that it doesn’t become a problem for them in the future,” he said.