Former Amenfi Central MP Peter Kwakye Ackah has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to prevent Obuasi Senior High Technical School headmaster Zakaria Abdulai from contesting the party’s Juaben constituency chairmanship, warning that his candidacy could damage the party’s reputation.
Mr Abdulai is accused of sexually abusing about 16 students at the school. The allegations are under investigation.
Speaking on Adom TV’s Nnawɔtwe Yi on Saturday, October 17, Mr Ackah said party affiliation should not protect anyone facing such serious allegations.
“Nobody should shield such a person after he has raped someone’s child just because he’s a party member,” he said.
He appealed to the constituency vetting committee to disqualify Mr Abdulai from the contest.
“I am appealing to the constituency vetting committee not to allow such a person to lead the party; he will collapse the party,” he said.
He further appealed to President John Dramani Mahama, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak to intervene in the matter.
“I’m appealing to the president to take it up, give the order to the minister. Haruna, you must not sit on this at all,” he said.
The former MP also criticised the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive over her handling of the case, claiming that she failed to act after a victim’s family brought the matter to her attention.
“The girl is even ashamed to come out, so since her parents have come to you, why didn’t you take action… what is happening?” he said.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has interdicted Mr Abdulai following a JoyNews investigation by Manasseh Azure Awuni, while a complaint has been lodged with the police. The GES has also said the unrest resulted in damage to school property and the temporary closure of the institution.
