By Daniel Bampoe
The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has made another dramatic U-turn in its handling of the sexual assault allegations against Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, directing him to step aside from the party’s internal electoral process to allow an unhindered police investigation into the case.
The decision, announced in a press release dated Tuesday, October 20, 2026, comes barely a day after the party defended its earlier decision to allow Abdulai to contest the Juaben Constituency chairmanship election despite the serious allegations against him where about 20 girls were said to have been sexually assaulted. The latest development has intensified scrutiny of the party’s handling of the controversy, with questions being raised about why it initially permitted him to remain in the race before reversing its position.
In its latest statement, the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee (FEC) said that, after further consideration, it had directed Abdulai to step aside in the overriding interest of transparency and accountability. The party explained that the decision was intended to ensure that investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service could proceed without obstruction.
The party, however, stressed that the directive should not be interpreted as a determination of the merits of the allegations against Abdulai, adding that he remained entitled to the presumption of innocence. It said it expected the CID to conduct a thorough, fair and expeditious investigation and would be guided by the outcome.
The statement, signed by NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, also directed the Ashanti Regional Election Committee and the Juaben Constituency Election Committee to take note of the decision and act accordingly.
NDC Reverses Monday’s Decision to Allow Abdulai to Contest
The latest directive represents a significant reversal of the position the party communicated on Monday, October 19, 2026, when it announced that Abdulai could continue with his bid for the Juaben Constituency chairmanship after appearing before the Functional Executive Committee.
In its earlier statement, the NDC explained that it had reconsidered its initial position after giving Abdulai an opportunity to present his side of the controversy. The party said it had considered a Ghana Education Service (GES) committee report, an investigative report by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s directive for a criminal investigation.
The party maintained that allowing Abdulai to contest did not amount to clearing him of the allegations. It also argued that fairness, natural justice and the presumption of innocence required that he be heard before a final determination was made.
NDC Deputy General Secretary Mustapha Gbande reinforced that position during an appearance on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, saying that permission to contest the internal election should not be confused with an endorsement of Abdulai’s conduct.
Gbande indicated that the party could take disciplinary action if investigations established wrongdoing.
However, less than 24 hours after that defence, the FEC issued its latest directive requiring Abdulai to step aside. Although the party did not explicitly state that it had acted because of public pressure, the reversal comes amid mounting public concern over the allegations and the handling of the case.
The sequence of events has raised questions about the considerations behind the NDC’s initial decision and what prompted the committee to reconsider its position so quickly.
Police Confirm Docket Sent to Attorney-General
The NDC’s latest decision comes against the background of an ongoing criminal investigation into an alleged rape involving Abdulai and a 20-year-old Form Two student of Obuasi Senior High Technical School.
According to a police press release dated October 16, 2026, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ashanti South Region, based in Bekwai, forwarded the case docket to the Attorney-General’s Office for study and advice.
The police said the student, accompanied by her father, reported the alleged incident at the Obuasi DOVVSU office on August 4, 2026. In her complaint, she alleged that the headmaster forcibly had sexual intercourse with her on July 25, 2026, at his official bungalow on the school campus.
The police account states that the student alleged she had gone to an area near the headmaster’s residence where students dry their clothes when Abdulai asked her to enter his residence to undertake an errand for him.
According to the complaint as summarised by the police, the student alleged that the headmaster began touching her against her will before dragging her into his bedroom, where the alleged rape occurred. She further alleged that he gave her GH¢100 afterwards to prevent her from speaking about the incident.
These details form part of the allegations reported to the police and have not, in themselves, established Abdulai’s guilt.
The police stated that investigative procedures, including a medical examination, reconstruction of the scene, photographs and witness statements, had been completed before the docket was forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Office.
The submission of the docket means the case has reached a stage where prosecutorial authorities are expected to study the available evidence and advise on the appropriate next steps. It does not, by itself, constitute a conviction or a final determination of the allegations.The police also assured the public that efforts were being made to establish the facts of the case.
Education Minister Had Already Ordered Suspension
The controversy had earlier prompted intervention by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who directed the Ghana Education Service on October 13, 2026, to suspend Abdulai pending investigations and called for a criminal inquiry by the CID.
The minister’s intervention followed investigative reporting by Manasseh Azure Awuni, including the documentary Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow, which examined allegations of sexual abuse involving female students at Obuasi SHTS.
The allegations have raised broader questions about the responsibilities of school administrators and education authorities when complaints of sexual misconduct are made within educational institutions.
They have also intensified calls for stronger safeguarding measures to protect students and ensure that complaints are handled promptly, professionally and without intimidation.
NAGRAT Raises Concerns Over Treatment of Teachers
The controversy has been further complicated by claims from the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) concerning the treatment of teachers at Obuasi SHTS.
NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba alleged during an appearance on JoyNews’ PM Express that 38 teachers were asked to leave the school after speaking against Abdulai.
Anaba claimed the reported action followed the work of a fact-finding committee chaired by the district director of education. He alleged that the district director instructed the assistant headmaster to communicate the decision to the affected teachers.
The circumstances surrounding the reported directive, including whether the teachers were transferred, reassigned or otherwise instructed to leave the institution, require clarification from the relevant education authorities.
Anaba also claimed that concerns about the headmaster’s conduct had been raised before the controversy attracted widespread public attention. He questioned whether the authorities had responded adequately to earlier complaints involving students and parents.
The allegations have prompted concerns about whether individuals who raise safeguarding concerns in schools are adequately protected from possible retaliation. However, the claims concerning the teachers’ treatment have not been independently established in the information available.
NPP Calls for Transparent Investigation and Protection of Students
The opposition New Patriotic Party has also criticised the handling of the controversy.The party’s National Women’s Organiser, Mavis Hawa Koomson, called for a swift, independent and transparent investigation, arguing that allegations involving the safety and welfare of students must be treated with the seriousness they deserve.
Koomson raised concerns about reports that complaints may have reached school authorities before the matter became widely known. She called on investigators to establish whether any officials failed to respond appropriately to concerns brought to their attention.
She also urged the relevant institutions to protect students and their families from intimidation or retaliation and called for counselling, psychological support, medical care and other appropriate assistance for any students affected.
Her intervention has added to the pressure on the police, education authorities and prosecutorial institutions to demonstrate that the investigation will be conducted independently and that the findings will be handled in accordance with the law.
