The Minority in Parliament is demanding an independent parliamentary inquiry into how earlier complaints of alleged sexual abuse against the suspended headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) were handled, including whether there was any political interference.
The demand follows a JoyNews investigation by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which reported allegations of sexual abuse involving as many as 19 female students at the school, including allegations of rape.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Deputy Minority Leader and Chair of the Minority Women’s Caucus, Patricia Appiagyei, called for justice for the alleged victims and accountability for officials found to have mishandled complaints.
Ms Appiagyei outlined four demands, beginning with a thorough investigation into every allegation and prompt advice from the Attorney-General on the case docket already submitted.
“We demand immediate action on one, a thorough investigation of every allegation; prompt advice from the Attorney-General on the submitted docket; and prosecution wherever the evidence warrants,” she said.
She added that public updates must protect the complainants’ identities and preserve the integrity of the investigation.
The Minority also called for immediate protection, counselling, medical care and legal assistance for affected students. Ms Appiagyei said any intimidation or retaliation against complainants must be investigated promptly.
Its third demand is an independent inquiry into the handling of earlier complaints, including any possible political interference.
The caucus wants the inquiry to identify officials responsible for any failures and recommend appropriate sanctions, while ensuring that students’ identities are protected in any published report.
The fourth demand is for the responsible ministers to make a statement to Parliament detailing the chronology of events, actions taken and measures being implemented to protect students.
Ms Appiagyei also called for confidential reporting channels within schools that operate independently of any head teacher accused of abuse.
The allegations have drawn national attention following the JoyNews investigation, which detailed claims involving several students and raised questions about how earlier complaints were handled.
Police have forwarded the case docket relating to one complaint to the Attorney-General’s Office for study and advice. Authorities have clarified that the docket concerns that individual complaint, while other allegations would require separate investigations.
The headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, has been interdicted by the Ghana Education Service pending investigations.
The NDC General Secretary, Fiifi Kwetey, has said the party will not shield Mr Abdulai and has called for an independent investigation by law enforcement authorities.
Mr Abdulai has also served as the NDC constituency secretary for Juaben and had been seeking to contest the constituency chairmanship. He later withdrew from the race amid pressure within the party.
The allegations against him have not been established in court. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The Minority’s demands add to calls for education authorities and other state institutions to ensure that complaints of abuse are properly investigated and that students have safe, confidential ways to report misconduct.
The proposed inquiry would focus on the handling of earlier complaints, including whether officials failed to act appropriately or whether political considerations affected the response.