Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has promised government protection for the journalists and whistle-blowers who helped bring the alleged sexual abuse of schoolgirls at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) to light, saying those who speak out will not be left exposed while investigations continue.
The minister addressed the media on Monday, October 26, 2026. He said the Ministry of Education intends to support the affected students, shield people who report misconduct, and see that the case gets full administrative and legal attention.
“We will protect whistleblowers and safeguard them, including journalists, including Manasseh Azure Awuni, and many others,” he said.
The case centres on allegations of sexual abuse against female students at the school. The headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, has been suspended pending investigations, and the number of students linked to the allegations has risen to 19. The claims have not been proven yet, and the process must establish the facts and any individual responsibility.
The matter drew national attention after a JoyNews investigation by Manasseh Azure Awuni, titled ‘Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow‘. Mr Iddrisu commended the journalist and JoyNews for putting the allegations before the public.
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People who share information about alleged wrongdoing often face intimidation, pressure or attempts to silence them. By committing to protect whistle-blowers and journalists by name, the minister is trying to reassure potential witnesses that coming forward will not put them at risk. He said politics would not shape the response. Mr Abdulai is linked to the governing National Democratic Congress, and Mr Iddrisu insisted that party ties would not shield anyone from scrutiny.
A Hotline and Safer Ways to Report
The minister also outlined reforms to make reporting easier for students, parents, teachers and the wider public. The ministry is in talks with telecommunications giant MTN about a dedicated hotline for reporting abuse in schools.
“We’re in touch with MTN to establish a hotline with the Ministry of Education to facilitate open reporting of these matters for us to assist with the investigation and deal ruthlessly and decisively with those who abuse our students,” he said.
He also proposed confidential reporting channels that let students bypass their headteachers. This addresses a basic weakness in current systems: a student with a complaint against a person of authority may have no safe route that does not pass through that person’s own school.
Support for the Affected Students
Mr Iddrisu promised trauma-informed support for the 19 students. The aim is to help them deal with the emotional and psychological toll of what they reported while keeping them in school. He said the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service would take the steps needed to protect students and make sure allegations get proper attention.
The case has sharpened national debate about safeguarding in Ghanaian schools, the duties of school administrators, and the need for safe channels through which students can report abuse. The minister stressed that the allegations must go through due legal process, and that anyone found responsible would face action.
How far these promises go will depend on delivery: whether complainants and witnesses are actually kept safe, whether the hotline and confidential channels get built, and whether investigators can work free of interference. For parents, students and education stakeholders, the question is whether schools can become places where complaints are taken seriously and reporting carries no fear of reprisal.