The Ghana Education Service has ordered the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Dr William Amankrah Appiah, and the Obuasi East Municipal Director of Education, Mr Kwamena Owusu-Nketiah, to step aside immediately while investigations continue into alleged sexual misconduct involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, Mr Zakaria Abdulai.
The directive was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and signed by the service’s Head of Public Relations, Mr Daniel Fenyi.
The service said removing the two directors from their duties would help ensure the investigation was conducted without interference, or the perception that it had been influenced.
Dr Appiah and Mr Owusu-Nketiah have been instructed to hand over their offices and all state property in their possession to the Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Mr Thomas Kwame Boateng.
Headmaster remains interdicted
The Ghana Education Service also confirmed that Mr Abdulai remains interdicted, rejecting reports that he had been cleared of the allegations.
“The public is urged to ignore any news making the rounds that the headmaster has been cleared,” the service said.
Its management called for calm, support and co-operation while the investigations continue.
The latest directive follows Mr Abdulai’s formal resignation as Juaben Constituency Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and his withdrawal from the constituency chairmanship contest.
In a letter to the party’s General Secretary on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Mr Abdulai said he had acted after the party instructed him to step aside to allow an unhindered investigation into the allegations.
“I write to formally notify you of my decision to resign from my position as the incumbent Secretary of the Juaben Constituency of the National Democratic Congress, with immediate effect,” he wrote.
“I also wish to formally withdraw my candidature for the position of Constituency Chairman in the forthcoming NDC constituency elections, effective immediately.”
Mr Abdulai thanked his friends, relatives and well-wishers for supporting him and continuing to believe in his innocence. He also thanked the NDC for giving him the opportunity to serve as a member and an officer.
He said he would focus his attention and resources on pursuing all lawful avenues to clear his name and vindicate his position.
“I remain hopeful that, once these matters are resolved, I will be able to return to active political engagement and continue contributing to the ideals and aspirations of the NDC,” he said.
The letter was copied to the NDC National Chairman and the Ashanti Regional Chairman.
Mr Abdulai’s candidature had come under public scrutiny after the Ghana Education Service suspended him over allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students at the school.
The Minister of Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, directed the service to suspend him pending full investigations and asked the police to begin their own inquiry.
The party’s Functional Executive Committee, in a press release dated October 20, 2026, also instructed Mr Abdulai to withdraw from the chairmanship race in the overriding interest of transparency and accountability. It said the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service should be allowed to investigate the matter without hindrance.
The NDC stressed that the directive did not determine the merits of the allegations and that Mr Abdulai remained entitled to the presumption of innocence.
