Campaigners seeking justice for female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) have called on Ghanaians to wear red on Wednesday, October 21, to demand accountability over sexual abuse allegations against the school’s interdicted headmaster.
The initiative, dubbed “Red Wednesday” and promoted online under the slogan “Wear Red on Wednesday — Justice for Obuasi SHTS Girls”, is intended to sustain public pressure on the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and protect students who may have suffered abuse.
The campaign comes as the case against the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, gains national attention, following reports that several female students have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Investigative reports by Joy News correspondent Manasseh Azure Awuni have further intensified public scrutiny of the allegations, prompting renewed calls for accountability within the education system.
Organisers are urging individuals and groups across the country to participate by wearing red as a visible expression of solidarity with the students and support for efforts to establish the facts.
Arrest and police investigations
The campaign coincides with developments in the investigation, with the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, disclosing on Tuesday that Mr Abdulai had been arrested in connection with the allegations.
Mr Muntaka said the headmaster was undergoing due process and that the investigation had been transferred to Police Headquarters in Accra for further attention.
He also indicated that investigators were pursuing the necessary legal procedures for DNA testing as part of efforts to advance the case.
In a separate development, the police have confirmed that a case docket relating to a rape complaint lodged by one student on August 4 has been forwarded to the Attorney-General for study and advice.
The police have clarified that the docket concerns that particular complaint, noting that other reported allegations would require further investigation.
Mr Abdulai was previously interdicted following a directive from the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who also instructed the Criminal Investigations Department to investigate the allegations.
Pressure mounts for institutional accountability
Beyond the criminal investigation, the campaign has renewed questions about the response of school authorities and education officials to concerns that may have been raised before the allegations attracted widespread public attention.
The Aya Institute for Women, Politics and Media has welcomed peaceful public demonstrations of solidarity, including the Red Wednesday initiative, while calling for stronger safeguards, institutional accountability and improved protection for survivors.
Campaigners say the case highlights the need for schools to provide safe environments for students and establish effective mechanisms for reporting and addressing sexual abuse complaints.
They are also demanding that the authorities establish the facts, safeguard the identities and welfare of the alleged victims, and ensure that anyone found responsible for wrongdoing is held accountable under the law.
The organisers’ call for Ghanaians to wear red is therefore intended not only to support the students involved in the Obuasi SHTS case but also to draw attention to the broader responsibility of educational institutions to protect children and young people in their care.
As investigations continue, campaigners hope the public display of solidarity will reinforce demands for justice, transparency and measures to prevent similar incidents in schools.
