Obuasi SHTS scandal: State has failed alleged victims – Akosua Manu

The central allegation is that Zakaria Abdulai, headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, sexually abused 19 female students. The claims became public through Manasseh Azure Awuni’s investigative documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow. They remain allegations, not established convictions.

Akosua Manu also described a message from a woman who had attended school at Juaben. The woman alleged that Abdulai made inappropriate advances, then treated her harshly after she rejected them. She claimed that more than 100 potential complainants could exist at Juaben, but this claim has not been independently established.

The allegations matter because students may face serious risks when the accused controls school life and academic conditions. Manu urged authorities to identify and protect possible victims, preserve evidence, and investigate thoroughly. She also stressed that Abdulai remains entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence while those steps occur.

Sexual abuse in a student setting includes unwanted sexual advances, demands, or acts involving a student. It can involve physical contact, but physical force is not necessary. A student may appear to comply because the other person controls discipline, grades, school opportunities, or daily conditions. That unequal situation can make apparent agreement unsafe or coerced.

The article highlights the teacher-student power relationship at school. Manu said some girls may feel compelled to accept inappropriate demands because they fear punishment or damage to their academic performance. This power can silence students and make reporting feel dangerous. It also explains why authorities must consider more than visible injuries when assessing risk.

The issue matters beyond one incident. UNICEF estimates cited by Manu indicate that over 370 million girls and women alive today experienced rape or sexual assault before age 18. Effective protection, confidential support, and careful investigations can help students report safely and remain in education.

Manu identified three key state institutions: the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. She said they should respond quickly when serious allegations arise. Their role is not limited to waiting for a court outcome. They should help identify possible victims, provide protection, and support a credible investigation.

Her criticism followed allegations involving 19 students and evidence presented in Manasseh Azure Awuni’s documentary. She argued that authorities should have traced the alleged victims, protected potential witnesses, and preserved relevant evidence. She also raised concern that people may have approached complainants’ families.

These responsibilities work together. Education authorities can address immediate school risks, while gender and child-protection institutions can support affected students and families. The article does not describe a completed institutional response. Manu said protecting students and investigating thoroughly should take priority over political disagreements, while legal rights remain respected.

The reported Obuasi case involves 19 female students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School. Their allegations became public through an investigative documentary. The figure describes the local case, while wider estimates show that childhood sexual violence affects girls and women across many countries and communities.

Manu cited UNICEF’s 2024 estimates. More than 370 million girls and women alive today experienced rape or sexual assault before turning 18. When non-contact forms of sexual violence are included, the estimate rises to about 650 million. In sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 79 million girls and women experienced contact sexual violence during childhood.

These figures place the school allegations within a much larger protection challenge. They do not prove every allegation in Obuasi, and the article distinguishes estimates from the specific case. They do show why institutions need strong safeguarding, safe reporting channels, witness protection, and investigations that do not depend on waiting for further harm.

Authorities can act before conviction because protection and punishment serve different purposes. Protective measures reduce immediate risks to students, witnesses, and evidence. They do not decide whether an accused person committed a crime. A criminal conviction requires a court process, but safeguarding institutions must respond when credible concerns suggest students may need protection.

Manu specifically argued that Abdulai does not need to be found guilty before GES, the Education Ministry, or the Gender Ministry traces alleged victims. Separating a staff member from students, limiting contact, or protecting witnesses can prevent further alleged abuse and possible pressure on complainants. Preserving records and accounts can also support a fair investigation.

The legal balance is important. Abdulai is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence. At the same time, students should not remain exposed while authorities wait for a verdict. Early safeguards can protect welfare without replacing an impartial investigation or determining the final legal outcome.

When alleged victims are not protected, students may face continuing exposure to the person accused of harming them. Manu warned that sexual abuse can cause lifelong psychological consequences, including trauma and school dropout. Fear, shame, or retaliation can also stop students and families from reporting what happened or seeking support.

The investigation itself can suffer. Potential witnesses may be pressured, families may be approached, and relevant accounts or records may not be preserved. Manu raised concern about reports of people allegedly contacting complainants’ families. She also criticised insensitive media coverage because sensational reporting can discourage victims from coming forward.

Protection therefore supports both student welfare and fact-finding. Authorities should identify possible victims, protect witnesses, preserve evidence, and support complainants. These steps do not establish guilt. They create safer conditions for a thorough investigation while reducing the chance of further harm, lost evidence, silence, or disrupted education.

Teacher-student relationships contain an authority imbalance. Teachers and school leaders can influence discipline, treatment, academic progress, and a student’s daily experience. Because of that power, a student may worry that refusing an inappropriate demand will bring punishment, worse treatment, or harm to academic performance.

Manu described this risk directly. She said some girls may feel compelled to comply because of fears about punishment or their studies. She also quoted an alleged former Juaben student who said the headmaster treated her harshly after she rejected advances. That account has not been independently established, but it illustrates the fear of retaliation raised in the discussion.

This dynamic can suppress disclosure even when no physical force is used. Students may avoid the accused, stay silent, or leave school rather than report. Strong protective measures and trusted reporting systems matter because they reduce dependence on the person holding power and help students speak without fearing educational consequences.