Obuasi SHTS sexual abuse allegations: Emily Nyarko urges sustained pressure for accountability

Youth and Gender Advocate Emily Jemima Nyarko has urged Ghanaians to sustain pressure on authorities to ensure accountability over allegations of sexual abuse involving students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).

In a Facebook post, she expressed concern about the apparent decline in public attention to the case, questioning whether the relevant authorities were doing enough to ensure that the matter was thoroughly investigated.

Nyarko cautioned that the allegations should not be forgotten as public attention shifts to other issues.

“It could be your daughter or sister tomorrow,” she cautioned, urging Ghanaians to treat the matter as a child protection concern rather than someone else's problem.

She called on parents, civil society organisations, journalists and child protection stakeholders to continue demanding updates on the investigations.

The advocate also urged the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Police Service to ensure that the allegations are investigated thoroughly and impartially.

She stressed the need to establish whether previous complaints had been made and, if so, whether they were handled appropriately.

She added that any negligence or misconduct established through the proper process should attract the appropriate sanctions under the law.

Nyarko further cautioned against treating administrative measures as the final resolution of the case, insisting that the public deserves clarity on the progress of investigations and any institutional failures identified.

She maintained that the matter should not be politicised, describing it as a child protection issue that requires collective action.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection and her team visited the affected students on Monday, October 26.

On his part, the Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu, has also assured that no one will be shielded in the investigation.

He was speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday.