‘This scandal won’t go away quietly’ – Haruna Iddrisu on Obuasi SHTS case

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has assured the public that allegations of sexual abuse involving 19 schoolgirls at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) will receive the necessary attention, insisting that the matter will not be allowed to fade without accountability.

Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, October 26, 2026, Mr. Iddrisu said the government was determined to ensure that the allegations against the school’s suspended headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, were thoroughly investigated and that appropriate action was taken.

The case has sparked widespread public concern following an investigative documentary by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which brought the allegations into the national spotlight and triggered calls for a comprehensive investigation into possible abuse in other educational institutions.

“The last few days thanks to Manasseh Azure Awuni’s, exposé. We have witness the scandalization of the nation’s conscience and captivation of its media headlines by the alleged sexual abuse of nineteen schoolgirls by the now suspended Headmaster of the Obuasi Senior High Technical School won’t or can’t just be swept under the carpet,” the minister said.

He warned against allowing the matter to become another public controversy that attracts intense attention for a short period but eventually receives no meaningful follow-up.

“Amidst the calls from various sections of society for a full-scale investigation of similar malpractices in other educational institutions in the country, this scandal won’t suffer the same fate as other burning issues which are discussed with gusto in the media over a period then go out with a whimper,” he added.

Mr. Iddrisu disclosed that the Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) were conducting investigations into the allegations of rape and sexual assault.

“I’m assured by my colleague Minister of Interior that the Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Department and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) are leading independent, transparent criminal investigations into the allegations of rape and sexual assault against former headmaster Mr. Zakaria Abdulai,” he stated.

He also assured the public that the process would be free from political interference.

“We give assurance of prosecution without political or Governmental interference,” he said.

The minister said the suspension and interdiction of the former headmaster would remain in force while the investigations continued, underscoring the need to protect the process and prevent any potential interference.

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of student safeguarding in Ghanaian schools, with calls for stronger reporting systems, effective supervision and measures to ensure that students can raise concerns without fear of intimidation.

Mr. Iddrisu said the government would pursue accountability while considering reforms aimed at preventing similar incidents.

He urged parents, guardians and students to support efforts to make educational institutions safer, while the allegations are investigated and due process is observed.