The Network for Women's Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) has called for the prosecution of the Headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai.
The call follows the Hotline documentary by Manasseh Azure Awuni titled "Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow," which contains allegations of rape and sexual assault against the headmaster. NETRIGHT said it watched the documentary with profound shock.
According to NETRIGHT, the documentary details an alarming pattern of alleged predatory behaviour, alleging that Mr Abdulai lured female students to his bungalow and threatened them if they reported him.
The statement said interviews in the documentary also suggest that school authorities, the police and certain political actors who were aware of the alleged conduct failed to act to protect the girls or help them seek justice.
Serious crimes
The women's rights network said rape and sexual assault are serious crimes under Ghanaian law and that school authorities and anyone who learns of such allegations have an obligation to report them to the police for investigation.
It said in the case of Obuasi SHTS, this did not happen, and the system failed the girls and their parents.
NETRIGHT said the case reflected a grave national problem, noting that more than 1,000 girls were officially recorded as defiled in 2020 alone, with experts saying the true figure is far higher because fear and a culture of silence keep victims from reporting.
It said the silence breeds impunity, especially where perpetrators hold positions of authority and are seen as powerful and well-connected.
The organisation expressed dismay at the decision of the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the ruling NDC to clear Mr Abdulai to contest the Chairmanship of the Juaben Constituency, despite acknowledging it had viewed the documentary.
It said the party cannot claim "zero tolerance for sexual abuse and harassment" while hiding behind the presumption of innocence and ignoring the evidence presented in the documentary.
NETRIGHT said while Mr Abdulai was entitled to his day in court, a political party must also be guided by moral and ethical standards and argued that by clearing him for high office, the NDC has signalled that the perceived rights of a powerful member matter more than the protection of vulnerable schoolchildren, noting that those seeking justice are poor, ordinary people up against a politically connected man.
Demands
The network has therefore urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to adopt an explicit policy that any adult who has sexual contact with a student will be prosecuted, end the practice of shielding heads and teachers accused of sexual misconduct by transferring them to other schools, bar those found guilty permanently from the education sector, prohibit the use of students as domestic help in homes of school authorities, and publish a report on incidents of sexual misconduct in schools.
It further urged state bodies mandated to tackle gender-based violence, including the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) and the Ghana Police Service, CHRAJ, the Domestic Violence Secretariat and the Legal Aid Commission, to take all necessary action to secure justice, protection and support for the girls.
The statement, issued and signed by its Convenor, Dr Akosua K. Darkwah, said NETRIGHT would continue to monitor the case and stand with the students of Obuasi SHTS and all survivors of sexual violence until justice is done.
