Vice-President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for the law to take its course in the sexual assault case involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), describing the matter as a serious national concern with implications for present and future generations.
She said the case required the attention of all Ghanaians, given its potential impact on the lives of those affected and the wider society.
"What I want to say at this point is that this is a very, very serious matter. It is a matter of concern to all of us, and it is a matter of national concern," she said.
She urged the public to allow the appropriate legal processes to determine the case, emphasising that the consequences of sexual assault could extend beyond those directly affected.
"What I want to see is that we all allow the law to take its course because this is a very serious matter, especially as it affects the lives of people, not only in the present but also going into the future. So let's allow the law to take its course," the Vice-President added.
The Vice-President made the remarks upon her return from the Global South Academic Forum in Shanghai, China. She said she had been following developments in the country, including reactions to the case and steps taken by the governing party in relation to a man who had sought to contest on its ticket.
"I want all of you to be aware that I followed this even when we were away, and I have received some reactions," she said.
She also referred to the party's response to the controversy, saying she had seen the action taken against the individual who wanted to contest on its ticket, as well as a letter issued by the party's General Secretary.
"I've seen what the party did regarding this gentleman who wanted to run on our ticket. I've seen the letter that was written by our Secretary General," she said.
Background
The National Democratic Congress directed Mr Zakaria Abdulai, the suspended headmaster of the school, to step aside from the Juaben Constituency chairmanship race pending an investigation by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.
Mr Abdulai was suspended by the Ghana Education Service following allegations of sexual abuse involving female students at the school. The allegations were highlighted in an investigation by JoyNews journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni.
According to the police, a 20-year-old Form Two student of the school, accompanied by her father, lodged a complaint with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit in Obuasi on August 4, 2026. Other reports indicate that Mr Abdulai allegedly abused 19 other girls in the school.
The case has attracted public attention, with calls for a thorough investigation into the allegations.
NPP criticises earlier silence
Before the Vice-President's comments, the New Patriotic Party's Director of Communications, Mr Dennis Miracles Aboagye, had criticised her for not publicly commenting on the allegations.
Speaking on Channel One TV's Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, he said her silence was disappointing, given the expectations of women and girls that she would speak out on issues concerning their safety, rights and welfare.
Mr Aboagye argued that, as Ghana's first female Vice-President, Professor Opoku-Agyemang was expected to be vocal on matters involving the protection of children, particularly girls.
The allegations against Mr Abdulai remain subject to investigation, and the outcome of the case has yet to be established.
