Kwasi Kwarteng is a former Education Ministry spokesperson
A former Education Ministry spokesperson, Kwasi Kwarteng, has raised key concerns over allegations of sexual misconduct against the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, Zakaria Abdulai.
Abdulai has been accused by about 14 female students of sexual misconduct in an upcoming documentary by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni. The Ghana Education Service (GES) has since interdicted him.
14 Students,1 Headmaster: Details of Manasseh’s Obuasi SHS sexual abuse exposé
In a post on his X account on October 16, 2026, Kwarteng questioned why the headmaster was not interdicted earlier despite reports of previous allegations and a student uprising at the school.
He also questioned the handling of earlier complaints against Abdulai and called on the Education Minister and the GES Director-General to explain the timeline of events.
According to Kwarteng, the headmaster’s interdiction should not end scrutiny of how the case was handled.
“The issue is not merely about the eventual interdiction of the embattled headmaster, but why it took this long,” he wrote.
He cited reports that concerns about alleged abuse dated as far back as February and questioned whether allegations from Abdulai’s previous station, Toase Senior High School, had been investigated before his transfer and promotion to Obuasi.
“Were those allegations investigated? Who recommended his transfer and subsequent promotion? And what became of the warnings?” he asked.
Kwarteng also questioned why the matter appeared to require public outrage before disciplinary action was taken.
He compared the response with disciplinary scrutiny under former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, stating that even allegations of unauthorised charges had previously triggered action against school heads.
“The Minister and GES Director-General must answer these questions,” he stated.
He further expressed concern about the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee’s commendation of the Education Minister and GES for acting swiftly to interdict the headmaster.
“Swiftly, relative to what? The date of public exposure? the student uprising? Or the first reported warning?” he asked.
Kwarteng also raised questions about reports that Abdulai is the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) secretary and an aspirant for the chairmanship position in the Juaben constituency.
He stressed that the reported political affiliation did not establish political interference but said it made transparent answers more important.
“That affiliation is not proof of political interference, but it makes transparent answers even more important,” he wrote.
Kwarteng maintained that the matter should go beyond the headmaster’s interdiction to establish why the relevant authorities did not act earlier, if the reported concerns had already reached them.
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“For me, the real scandal may not end with the interdiction. It lies in understanding why the system needed a journalist; Manasseh Azure Awuni to do what it should have done to protect the children in its care,” he added.
Read his full post below:
NO PARTY CARD OR POSITION SHOULD BUY MORE PROTECTION THAN THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS.
1. Sixteen girls reportedly abused! Previous allegations of abuse that earned the headmaster a promotion by his employers. A student uprising on August 5. Yet, no interdiction until an investigative journalist brought the scandal back into the spotlight.This is how the Haruna-led Ministry of Education and GES handled the Obuasi SHSTS scandal.
— Kwasi Kwarteng (@KwasiKwartengF) October 16, 2026
2. The issue is not merely about the eventual interdiction of the embattled headmaster, but why it took this long. Reports suggest the concerns of these abuses existed as far back as February with questions about similar allegations at his previous station, Toase SHS, where he served as Assistant headmaster before his abrupt promotion to Obuasi during the pendency of the said allegations. Were those allegations investigated? Who recommended his transfer and subsequent promotion? And what became of the warnings?
3. Under Dr. Adutwum, even allegations of unauthorised charges triggered disciplinary scrutiny against school heads. Why, then, does a matter involving allegations this grave appear to have required public outrage before action? The Minister and GES Director-General must answer these questions. A government’s responsibility is not simply to respond when a scandal explodes, but to act when it first gets to their attention.
4. I am equally puzzled by Parliament’s Human Rights Committee commending the Education Minister and GES for acting swiftly to interdict the headmaster. Swiftly, relative to what? The date of public exposure? the student uprising? Or the first reported warning? An eventual intervention deserves no praise if serious questions remain about what happened before it.
5. Reports that the headmaster is the ruling NDC’s secretary & an aspirant for the Chairmanship position of Juaben constituency raise further questions about public confidence. That affiliation is not proof of political interference, but it makes transparent answers even more important. The public must be satisfied that the handling of this matter was determined by evidence and duty, not political connections. No party card, political connection or position should place anyone beyond the safety of our children.
6. For me, the real scandal may not end with the interdiction. It lies in understanding why the system needed a journalist; Manasseh Azure Awuni to do what it should have done to protect the children in its care.
MAG/VPO
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