The NPP Women’s Wing has staged a demonstration in Obuasi over the alleged sexual abuse of female students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), demanding justice for the victims and accountability for those implicated in the scandal.
The demonstration, led by the NPP National Women’s Organiser, Honourable Hawa Koomson, seeks to draw attention to what the party describes “as institutional failures” and alleged “political interference” in the handling of the case.
The Advisor on Gender and Social Protection to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Akosua Manu contends that the circumstances surrounding the case raise serious questions about the protection allegedly afforded to the accused, Zakariah Abdulai, and the response of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
“So the Obuasi demonstration is to register discontent, to call for a review and also draw attention to how issues of this nature are handled.”
Akosua Manu
Ms Manu recalled that the matter initially attracted public attention after male students reportedly confronted the teacher at his bungalow over allegations involving the burial of a dead foetus. Subsequent accounts, she indicated, brought further allegations of sexual abuse involving female students, with the number of alleged victims reaching 19.
The Advisor also questioned whether previous complaints against Mr Zakaria have received adequate attention, citing allegations that concerns were raised during his earlier posting at Duaben Senior High Technical School. She further claimed that 38 teachers who raised concerns about his conduct were transferred, prompting her to question the circumstances surrounding those decisions and the level of institutional oversight exercised by GES.
Although Ms Manu rejected the suggestion that the demonstration was politically motivated, she accused individuals within the governing establishment of providing protection that allegedly delayed decisive action. She pointed to the reported involvement of political figures in attempts to address the matter informally, including an account that the Kumasi Mayor spoke directly to the accused and instructed him to stop the alleged conduct.
The NPP gender advisor also criticised “an inadequate institutional response” particularly the use of language that minimises allegations of sexual abuse. She questioned why a teacher facing such serious accusations was not immediately removed from the school while the appropriate investigations and accountability processes were pursued.
Furthermore, Ms Manu called for justice for the affected students, insisting that their experiences must not be reduced to political exchanges. She reiterated that the demonstration was necessary to demand accountability and expose the failures that, in her assessment, allowed the allegations to persist.
She also appealed to the public and the media to sustain attention on the case, irrespective of the political affiliations of individuals implicated.
An Independent Victim Protection Framework Should Be Established
The NPP’s Advisor on Gender and Social Protection, Akosua Manu also called for an independent national framework to protect students who experience sexual abuse in schools and investigate complaints outside the institutions implicated.
She believes the current arrangements “leave victims vulnerable to intimidation, pressure and institutional self-protection” discouraging many from reporting alleged offences or pursuing justice.
Ms Manu identified the limited number of students who have formally come forward in the Obuasi SHTS case as “a troubling indication of the protection gaps confronting victims.”
“There’s no system to preserve evidence. There’s no system to ensure that there will not be some reprisals on them or on their families.”
Akosua Manu
The Advisor further alleged that some victims and their relatives have faced persistent attempts to persuade them to withdraw complaints. She referenced accounts of financial inducements, offers of educational support extending to university and employment opportunities, warning that such gestures could not erase the trauma associated with sexual abuse.
In addition, Ms Manu expressed concern about individuals allegedly presenting themselves as lawyers or intermediaries for victims while attempting to move the matter out of the public domain. She believes these developments point to the need for a reporting and investigation process that places the interests and safety of affected students above institutional reputation or informal settlements.
Her proposed reforms include establishing an independent body to receive complaints and handle investigations involving sexual misconduct in schools. She also advocated a clear reporting mechanism, potentially including a toll-free number, through which students could seek assistance without having to rely exclusively on the school administration or GES.
Ms Manu argues that schools should provide students with regular orientation on where and how to report abuse. Such a system, she believes, would give students a recognised channel for seeking help and reduce the risk of complaints being suppressed by institutions seeking to protect their reputations.
She also questioned the wider implications of the alleged abuse at Obuasi SHTS, particularly for students whose access to education depends on public support. In her assessment, a school intended to provide educational opportunities and a safe learning environment must not become a place where vulnerable students are exposed to further harm.
The NPP advisor also cited a figure of 53,000 teenage pregnancies recorded within the first seven months of 2026, although the transcript provides no source or further breakdown for the statistic. She invoked the figure to underscore the urgency of strengthening protections for adolescent girls.
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