‘Extremely disturbing and unacceptable,’ – Otiko Djaba condemns alleged sexual abuse at Obuasi SHTS

Former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Otiko Afisa Djaba has condemned allegations of sexual abuse involving female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), describing the situation as disturbing and unacceptable.

She has called for the protection of the alleged victims, witnesses, teachers who reported the cases and journalists who brought the allegations to public attention.

Otiko Djaba made the remarks in an interview on Accra-based JoyNews on Friday, October 23, amid increasing public concern over the allegations against the school's headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai.

“As a mother of daughters, a gender activist, somebody who is still involved in the development of vulnerable young girls, I find it extremely disturbing and unacceptable,” she said.

The former minister expressed concern about possible intimidation, victimisation and interference that could affect the alleged victims and undermine efforts to establish the facts.

She further cautioned against attempts to settle the matter privately, stressing that the safety, privacy and security of the students must remain the priority.

She said the allegations at Obuasi SHTS could be only a small part of a broader problem, with other students potentially experiencing similar abuse without reporting it.

“We must show that our children matter. We must show that we are serious about individual rights, about protecting the Constitution that says that all of us are equal before the law,” she added.

The former minister further called for the protection of teachers who reported the alleged abuse and journalists involved in exposing the matter, saying they were working in the public interest.