….Resigns as NDC Secretary, withdraws from Juaben Chairmanship race
The headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai, has signalled possible legal action over allegations of sexual abuse involving female students, as he resigns from his position as Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Juaben Constituency and withdraws from the party’s upcoming constituency chairmanship elections.
In a letter dated yesterday, October 20, 2026, addressed to the NDC General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, Mr Abdulai said his resignation and withdrawal from the contest took immediate effect. This was hours after the ruling party had succumbed to public outrage and announced that he had been asked to step down from the race.
He explained that he intended to devote his time and resources to pursuing lawful avenues to defend himself against the allegations and clear his name.
“At this time, I intend to devote my attention and resources to pursuing all lawful avenues to clear my name and vindicate my position,” he stated.
“I remain hopeful that, once these matters are resolved, I will be able to return to active political engagement and continue contributing to the ideals and aspirations of the NDC,” he added.
Although he signalled his intention to pursue legal remedies, Mr Abdulai did not specify the action he intended to take, the persons or organizations he might target, or the nature of any prospective proceedings.
His decision comes amid growing public outrage over allegations that he sexually abused more than 19 female students at the school, claims that have prompted calls for accountability and a thorough investigation.
Mr Abdulai has maintained his innocence and expressed gratitude to friends, relatives, and supporters who have continued to stand by him.
“I wish to express my profound gratitude to my friends, relatives, and all well-wishers who have stood by me and maintained their faith in my innocence in the face of the allegations levelled against me and my office,” he said.
He also thanked the NDC for giving him the opportunity to serve as a party member and officer, describing his involvement as a privilege.
The letter was copied to the NDC National Chairman and the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman.
Mr Abdulai’s resignation and withdrawal from the constituency race came on the same day that the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee (FEC) directed him to step aside from his candidacy to allow an unhindered investigation into the allegations.
In a separate statement issued on October 20 and signed by Mr Kwetey, the party said the decision followed further consideration of the matter and was taken in the overriding interest of transparency and accountability.
The directive was also intended to enable the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to conduct an unhindered investigation.
The NDC, however, stressed that its decision did not constitute a determination of the merits of the allegations against Mr Abdulai, emphasizing that he remained entitled to the presumption of innocence.
“The party trusts that the CID will conduct a thorough, fair and expeditious investigation, and will be guided by its outcome,” the statement said.
The party directed the Ashanti Regional Election Committee and the Juaben Constituency Election Committee to take note of the decision and act accordingly.
The directive updated an earlier statement issued on October 19 concerning Mr Abdulai’s candidature.
The controversy intensified following an investigative exposé by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which detailed allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students and raised questions about how initial complaints were handled.
According to the investigation, allegations against Mr Abdulai began emerging within a month of his appointment as headmaster in April 2025.
A secret audio recording obtained during the investigation reportedly captured the school’s housemistress, Stephanie Adjoa Yeboah, recounting a late-night incident involving the Obuasi East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), William Kofi Adjaho, popularly known as Biggy.
Ms Yeboah reportedly said the MCE went to the school after 10 pm to take a female student home following a complaint involving the headmaster.
She said she became involved after receiving instructions from the MCE to ask the student to leave the main block and wait at a designated location.
“Biggy told me that after leaving the headmaster’s place, I should go to the main block and call a certain girl named … to come out and wait,” she reportedly said.
Ms. Yeboah said she informed the student that the MCE and her father wanted her to wait for them.
She initially resisted the decision to take the student away, insisting that she wanted to understand why the MCE was intervening.
“Biggy said he was taking the girl away, and I said I would not allow it until I knew the reason. And that was when he said the girl complained about ‘sexual conduct’ and they are taking her home to listen to the matter properly,” she reportedly recounted.
According to the housemistress, the MCE eventually left the school with the student and members of her family.
The account has raised questions about why the complaint was not referred to the police at the time and how the initial allegations were handled by those involved.
Ms Yeboah further alleged that she confronted Mr Abdulai after the student had been taken away.
She said the headmaster later encountered her and a colleague, identified as Kafui, while they were discussing the incident.
According to her account, she directly informed him that one girl had alleged that he had had sexual relations with her, while another had accused him of sexual assault.
“I didn’t mince words. He didn’t comment… He looked at me quietly and asked how the girls were. I mentioned their names and he told me to give him my number,” she reportedly said.
The account does not establish why Mr Abdulai allegedly did not respond to the accusations or whether any subsequent communication took place between him and the housemistress.
Manasseh said he contacted Mr. Adjaho to establish his involvement in the incident.
According to the journalist, the MCE confirmed that he went to the school at night with a relative of the student to take her away, but denied resolving the matter with the family.
Mr Adjaho reportedly explained that he had heard the girl’s father was furious and intended to mobilize young people to attack the headmaster.
He reportedly said he intervened because of his position as a member of the ruling NDC.
Manasseh said he subsequently asked the MCE whether he understood that an allegation of sexual assault constituted a criminal matter that should have been reported to the police.
Mr Adjaho reportedly acknowledged that it was a criminal matter.
He further reportedly told the journalist that, at a meeting at Kofkans, Ms Yeboah had indicated that the alleged sexual assault was not the first incident involving the headmaster.
Despite this, the matter was not reported to the police because those involved allegedly believed they lacked sufficient evidence to do so, according to the investigation.
The case has also drawn a strong response from the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), which has called for the removal of Mr Abdulai and Ghana Education Service (GES) officials in Obuasi over their alleged handling of complaints relating to the matter.
NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba has claimed that concerns about the alleged misconduct were raised before the allegations became public, raising questions about what action the relevant education authorities took in response.
The association’s position has intensified scrutiny of the school’s management and the officials responsible for addressing complaints of alleged misconduct.
The pressure on the education authorities centres on whether concerns were reported earlier, how those complaints were handled, and whether appropriate procedures were followed.
Mr Abdulai’s resignation from his party position and withdrawal from the Juaben constituency chairmanship race mark a significant development in the controversy.
His stated intention to pursue all lawful avenues to clear his name signals a possible legal response, although the precise nature of that action remains unclear.
Meanwhile, the NDC says it will be guided by the outcome of the police investigation, maintaining that its decision to have him step aside is intended to protect transparency and accountability rather than pronounce him guilty.
