Obuasi SHTS scandal: Officials who ignored complaints must be sanctioned – Minority Women’s Caucus

Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa MP Patricia Appiagyei has called for sanctions against public officials and institutions that allegedly failed to act on complaints about sexual abuse at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).

She insists that accountability must extend beyond the interdicted headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, to anyone whose attention the allegations were brought to but failed to take appropriate action or allegedly attempted to suppress the complaints.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mrs Appiagyei questioned the effectiveness of existing laws and enforcement mechanisms, arguing that stronger safeguards are needed to prevent similar incidents and protect children.

“If the people responsible for enforcing the laws fail to do their jobs, then we must ask ourselves how we can strengthen the laws and close the loopholes that allow these things to happen,” she said.

The Asokwa MP maintained that individuals who were informed about the allegations but failed to act must also be held accountable, stressing that responsibility for protecting the students should not be limited to the alleged perpetrator.

“Everyone whose attention this matter was brought to, but who failed to take action, must also face sanctions. If we tighten these loopholes and hold people accountable, it will give our children some peace of mind and help restore their confidence in the systems meant to protect them,” she added.

Her comments come amid growing calls for accountability over allegations involving 19 female students at the school.

Although Mr Abdulai has been interdicted and the Interior Minister announced on October 20, 2026, that he had been arrested, Mrs Appiagyei said questions remain about when the relevant authorities first became aware of the allegations and how they responded.

She called for a thorough investigation into the handling of the complaints, including any alleged attempts to suppress them, and urged authorities to ensure that those found culpable face the appropriate sanctions.

Mrs Appiagyei also stressed the need to strengthen institutional accountability so that complaints involving the safety and welfare of children are acted upon promptly rather than ignored.

The allegations remain subject to investigation, and any determination of individual or institutional responsibility must be based on the evidence established through due process.