Obuasi SHTS headmaster resigns as Juaben NDC secretary, withdraws chairmanship bid

Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) headmaster Zakaria Abdulai has resigned as the Juaben constituency secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and withdrawn his bid to contest the constituency chairmanship election.

His decision follows a directive from the party’s Functional Executive Committee (FEC) asking him to step aside to allow an unhindered police investigation into sexual abuse allegations against him.

Mr Abdulai announced his decision in a letter dated Tuesday, October 20, addressed to the party’s General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.

In the letter, Mr Abdulai said his resignation from the constituency secretary position and withdrawal from the chairmanship race would take immediate effect.

“I write to formally notify you of my decision to resign from my position as the incumbent Secretary of the Juaben Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), with immediate effect,” he stated in part of the letter.

He also expressed gratitude to supporters who had stood by him amid the allegations, maintaining that he intended to pursue lawful means to clear his name.

“At this time, I intend to devote my attention and resources to pursuing all lawful avenues to clear my name and vindicate my position,” he added.

His decision comes after the NDC reversed its earlier position allowing him to contest the Juaben constituency chairmanship election despite the ongoing investigations.

In a statement on Tuesday, the party said its Functional Executive Committee had directed him to step aside in the interest of transparency and accountability, to allow the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the allegations without hindrance.

The party, however, stressed that the directive was not a determination of the merits of the allegations and that Mr Abdulai remained entitled to the presumption of innocence.

The allegations against the headmaster gained wider public attention following an investigative report by JoyNews journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni.

The matter has drawn public criticism over the handling of the allegations and calls for accountability while investigations continue.