Obuasi SHTS sexual abuse: The president has been on public platforms multiple times and has never addressed it – Akosua Manu

Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's gender advisor, Akosua Manu, has criticized President John Mahama for not publicly addressing the alleged sexual abuse of 19 female students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS). Ms Manu questioned why the President, who is committed to gender equality, had not addressed the incident despite making multiple public appearances since it occurred.

She argued that the government's response to the allegations had been reactive, indicating a lack of systems to follow up on such cases. Ms Manu also pointed out that several state institutions, including the Ghana Education Service, law enforcement agencies, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, failed to show urgency until public attention was drawn to the matter.

She called for transparency from the authorities, specifically asking for a detailed account of the police-led investigation. The former parliamentary candidate for Adentan also expressed concern for the safety of the alleged victims and potential witnesses, warning that the handling of the case could discourage others from coming forward.

She noted that the alleged perpetrator had previously taught in other schools, suggesting that further investigations were necessary to determine if other students might have been affected.