Obuasi SHTS: ‘The NDC will not hesitate to take action’ – Gbande promises sanctions if allegations prove true

NDC Deputy General Secretary Mustapha Gbande says the party will sanction Obuasi Senior High Technical School headmaster Zakaria Abdulai if sexual abuse allegations against him are established. Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, he said the party’s decision to allow the constituency chairmanship aspirant to contest would not shield him from disciplinary action. Mr Gbande said the General Secretary would closely follow the investigations.

Any sanctions would be guided by the party’s constitution and the public interest. “The party will not hesitate to take actions that will ensure that such an individual is properly sanctioned on the basis of our constitution and the public interest nature of the case.” The allegations are examined in Manasseh Azure Awuni’s documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow. The JoyNews investigation concerns alleged sexual abuse involving female students at the school.

Mr Gbande said the party’s warning would apply even if Mr Abdulai won the internal election. “The party will remove him and allow him to go and face the law.” He also indicated that the leadership could act during the investigation if substantial findings warranted a decision. The assurance follows the party’s reconsideration of an earlier directive for the aspirant to withdraw or face disqualification.

Mr Gbande confirmed that Mr Abdulai, a long-serving constituency secretary, could now file and contest. He said the leadership reviewed its position after hearing him before the Functional Executive Committee. “We have given him an opportunity to state his case, and so I wouldn’t be his PRO.” According to Mr Gbande, the party considered the documentary, a directive by the Education Minister and a Ghana Education Service committee investigating the matter.

Mr Abdulai also told the leadership that he had filed legal actions against some individuals. Mr Gbande said he was unsure of the precise nature of those actions. He said the party wanted to avoid prejudicing the aspirant’s rights or undermining the ongoing processes.

“All of these are the basis for which the party took the view that we will hasten slowly and proceed with caution, so that we don’t undermine the processes that have already been triggered.” Mr Gbande said the findings would give the leadership sufficient grounds for an informed decision. He linked the party’s interest in the case to … The NDC says protecting the rights of its constituency chairmanship aspirant informed its decision to let him contest while investigations into sexual abuse allegations continue.