Obuasi SHS headmaster accused of sexual abuse is NDC constituency secretary – Manasseh Azure

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has revealed that the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School in the Ashanti Region, Zakaria Abdulai, is a serving constituency secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr Abdulai has been suspended over allegations of sexual abuse involving female students at the school.

Speaking on Joy FM on Thursday, October 15, Mr Manasseh said he discovered the headmaster’s political position while working on his latest documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow.

He said Mr Abdulai is the Juabeng Constituency Secretary of the NDC and is also seeking to contest the constituency chairmanship.

“This man [the headmaster], we are told, is the Juabeng Constituency Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress, and there are posters of him wanting to contest for the constituency chairman,” he said.

Mr Manasseh said residents were aware of the allegations, but there appeared to be reluctance to speak publicly about them.

He said a former NDC constituency executive, Frederick Addai, told him that some party members had tried to contain the situation whenever the allegations came up.

“So, a former NDC constituency executive who spoke to me, Frederick Addai, says that, anytime the issue [the alleged sexual assault] came up, some members of the party tried to come together and tried to calm tempers and get the issues resolved,” he said.

Mr Manasseh also said people within the school and officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES) at the district and regional levels were aware of reports concerning the allegations.

He questioned why adequate action had not been taken despite the reports.

According to him, the headmaster’s position of authority may have contributed to the situation, raising questions about whether he received protection from influential persons.

Mr Abdulai is the subject of Mr Manasseh’s documentary, which examines allegations of sexual abuse involving female students.

On October 13, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu directed the Ghana Education Service to suspend Mr Abdulai pending a full investigation.

The Minister also requested an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.

The allegations against Mr Abdulai remain subject to investigation.