The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has assured the public that it will not shield Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) headmaster Zakaria Abdulai if he is found culpable of allegations of sexual abuse involving 19 female students.
The party’s General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, said the NDC wanted the truth established and would not interfere with investigations into the allegations against Mr Abdulai who until his decision to step down was Juaben NDC Constituency Secretary and an aspiring constituency chairman.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, October 22, Mr Kwetey said the party would accept the outcome of the investigations and ensure that no one was protected because of their political affiliation.
“We want the truth to be brought out and we want to tackle the truth. And the country would have clear assurance that as a party and as a government, we do not cover anybody,” he said.
The NDC’s position follows controversy over Mr Abdulai’s bid to contest the Juaben constituency chairmanship. The party initially cleared him to contest after reversing an earlier directive for him to step aside, but changed its position again after reviewing the full details of an investigative exposé by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni.
Mr Kwetey explained that the party had not accessed the comprehensive disclosures in Manasseh’s videos and recordings when it held its initial meeting on the matter.
He said the party reconsidered its position after watching the materials in full, adding that allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse were not endorsed by the NDC.
Mr Abdulai, who served as the party’s constituency secretary, subsequently withdrew his bid to contest the chairmanship position.