The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Dr William Amankrah Appiah, and the Obuasi East Municipal Director of Education, Kwamena Owusu-Nketiah, to step aside with immediate effect as investigations continue into allegations of sexual misconduct involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai.

The directive, announced on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, is intended to safeguard the integrity of the investigation and prevent any actual or perceived interference in the process.

In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations at GES, Daniel Fenyi, the Service instructed the two directors to hand over their offices and all state property in their possession to Thomas Kwame Boateng, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of Education.

The move comes amid growing public scrutiny of the handling of allegations involving female students at Obuasi SHTS and calls for accountability from education authorities.

GES Reaffirms Headmaster’s Interdiction

GES has also clarified that Zakaria Abdulai remains interdicted, dismissing reports suggesting that he has been cleared of the allegations.

“The public is urged to ignore any news making the rounds that the headmaster has been cleared,” the Service stated.

The clarification underscores that the investigation remains ongoing and that no final determination has been announced by GES regarding the allegations.

Management has called on the public and relevant stakeholders to remain calm and cooperate with the investigative process.

The allegations against Mr Abdulai have not been established as proven facts, and he remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Education Minister Ordered Suspension and Police Investigation

The latest directive follows an earlier decision by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who on October 13, 2026, directed GES to suspend the headmaster pending a full investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

The minister also requested police investigations into the matter.

The case has attracted national attention following investigative reporting that raised concerns about alleged sexual abuse involving female students at the school and questions about how earlier complaints were handled.

The decision to have the two education directors step aside adds another dimension to the ongoing inquiry, as authorities seek to establish the facts surrounding the allegations and examine the handling of the case.

However, the GES statement did not establish wrongdoing by either director or specify that the step-aside directive constituted a disciplinary finding against them.

Zakaria Abdulai Resigns from NDC Position, Withdraws from Chairmanship Race

The development coincides with Mr Abdulai’s decision to resign as Juaben Constituency Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and withdraw his candidature for the constituency chairmanship position.

In a letter to the party’s General Secretary dated October 20, 2026, Mr Abdulai said his resignation and withdrawal followed the party’s directive for him to step aside to allow investigations to proceed without obstruction.

He expressed appreciation to friends, relatives and well-wishers who had supported him, while maintaining his position that he intended to clear his name through lawful means.

Mr Abdulai also expressed hope that he could return to active political engagement once the matter had been resolved.

The NDC has maintained that its decision to have him step aside was intended to support an unhindered investigation and did not amount to a determination of the merits of the allegations.

What Happens Next?

The focus now shifts to the ongoing investigations and the steps authorities will take to establish the facts surrounding the allegations at Obuasi SHTS.

The GES directive places responsibility for the two directors’ offices and state property with Deputy Ashanti Regional Director Thomas Kwame Boateng while the process continues.

The Service has not announced a timeline for completing the investigation or indicated when the two directors may resume their duties.

The outcome of the investigations will be important in determining the facts of the case, clarifying how the allegations were handled and identifying any further administrative or legal action that may be warranted.

For students, parents and the wider public, the case has renewed attention on student protection, institutional accountability and the responsibility of education authorities to respond appropriately to allegations of misconduct in schools.