The Ghana Education Service (GES) says Zakaria Abdulai, headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, has not been cleared of alleged sexual abuse and that its disciplinary committee has been given seven additional working days to complete its inquiry.
GES spokesperson Daniel Fenyi rejected reports that the committee had finished its investigation and exonerated Abdulai.
“The headmaster has not been cleared. In fact, just as you mentioned, the committee is yet to finalise its work,” he told JoyNews’ The Pulse on Friday, November 6.
The statement came as the NPP Women’s Wing held a march through Obuasi, calling for Abdulai to be arrested if investigators establish that he was culpable.
Abdulai was interdicted by the Ghana Education Service on October 14, a day after Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu ordered his suspension and referred the criminal allegations to the police. Abdulai denies the allegations and is not in custody.
The disciplinary committee had been expected to submit its report on Wednesday, November 4. However, Mr Fenyi said it had requested more time after some students who were due to appear before it failed to attend, while others required alternative arrangements to participate.
GES management approved the request for a further seven working days.
“If you want a seven-working-day extension to be able to reach every single individual, then that is sound. And so, management granted,” Mr Fenyi said.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on Friday, he said the committee had initially been given two weeks to conduct its work.
He expects it to reach the students by Wednesday, November 11, before submitting its findings to the GES Council. The committee has also visited the school campus.
Mr Fenyi said the Service had made no final determination on any person connected with the case as of Friday. He added that the expectation was for the committee to complete its work within the extra seven working days.
Police investigation
NPP National Women’s Organiser Mavis Hawa Koomson, who addressed the march, said she wanted action to be taken by the end of November. She argued that interdiction alone was not sufficient.
Bekwai Police said Abdulai was on inquiry bail in connection with a complaint filed on August 4. The docket relating to that complaint has been sent to the Attorney-General for advice.
On October 20, Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee that Abdulai had been arrested and had provided a statement. He said Police Headquarters had since taken over the file.