The women’s wing of the New Patriotic Party, Ashanti, has learnt with shock reports of alleged sexual abuse of female students by the Headmaster of Obuasi Secondary Technical, Mr. Zakaria Abdulai, who also doubles as the incumbent Constituency Secretary and an aspiring Chairman of the governing NDC in the Juaben Constituency.

The women’s wing wishes to add its voice to calls by several well-meaning Ghanaians, Civil Society groups, religious bodies and parents condemning the act of the headmaster and NDC constituency secretary and urging authorities to take the right disciplinary and criminal actions without delay.

The incidence has sent shock waves down the spine of parents across the region and the country at large and therefore calls for urgent and swift action as justice and due process demand.

We therefore wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the family of the female students involved, as well as the many others who have suffered such abuses in the quiet.

The women’s wing stands with these young girls in these trying times and is ready to offer its motherly and professional support if need be. It is worthy of note that there have been repeated reports of alleged sexual abuses against Mr. Abduali in the last one year, all of which never received the required attention from the educational authorities and the law enforcement agencies.

The Women’s wing does not want to believe the unimpressive handling of past and current reports of alleged sexual abuses by Mr Abdulai is as a result of his political standing in the ruling NDC. We, however, commend the Ghana Education Service for the recent act of interdicting

Mr. Abdulai, and further call on them to press criminal charges against him without delay.

This we believe would meet tougher punishment against him, as well as deter many other educational workers who take advantage of our young girls. A brighter future of the girl child can only be secured when the laws that protect their dignity work. Let us put the interest of our young ones above our political interest! –SIGNED— BEATRICE OWUSU (ASHANTI REGIONAL WOMEN’S ORGANIZER)

Meanwhile, Mr. Zakaria Abdulai as at press time has officially resigned from his secretaryship position. He has also stepped down from the constituency chairmanship race following the directives from the NDC leadership.