Kumasi Mayor Denies Cover-up In Obuasi SHTS Scandal
Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Mayor Ofori Agyemang Boadi has denied allegations that he attempted to cover up sexual assault claims involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).
The mayor, who hails from Obuasi and previously served as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area, was mentioned among individuals alleged to have intervened in the matter.
Speaking at a public hearing by Parliament’s Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Agyemang Boadi said his involvement was motivated by concern for the students and his hometown.
He maintained that he had neither the authority nor the evidence needed to take action against the headmaster, adding that his role had been limited to advising him to be mindful of his conduct.
According to the mayor, he had heard reports about the allegations but had not received any formal complaint or evidence of misconduct.
“I had heard what was going on on my father’s land, and I am a parent, and I asked the character who is the main subject. Then he says that he has not done it, and nobody had given me any report back by an evidence,” he told the committee.
During the hearing, a committee member questioned why he had not reported the matter to the Ghana Education Service (GES) or the police.
The member argued that reporting the allegations to the appropriate authorities would not necessarily have meant prejudging the headmaster, particularly while investigations were ongoing.
Mr. Agyemang Boadi, however, maintained that he could not take action against the headmaster based on suspicion alone.
He said his understanding of the limits of his authority was influenced by an earlier incident during his tenure as MCE, involving alleged illegal fees at a school in the Bokum area.
According to him, a pupil who had lost his father was allegedly denied the opportunity to sit an examination because of unpaid fees.
“When that one came to my attention, I said, how can teachers be this inhumane that a child who has lost the father, assuming that the fees that were charging were to be approved, at least you can give consideration to the fact that this one has lost the father who is supposed to bear responsibilities,” he recounted.
He said the incident angered residents, prompting him to intervene to restore calm in the community.
“Immediately, I gave instructions that for the sake of peace in the community and to assuage their anger, the teachers should be transferred to Bokum, and then new teachers will be sent there,” he said.
However, he said a former deputy spokesperson for the GES, identified as Bokum Mensah, later challenged his authority to direct the transfer of teachers.
According to the mayor, Mr. Mensah held a press conference and cited laws governing the GES to argue that the MCE did not have the mandate to issue such instructions.
He said the experience made him more cautious about intervening in matters involving school authorities.
Explaining his approach to the Obuasi allegations, Mr. Agyemang Boadi said he had not been presented with evidence to substantiate the claims against the headmaster.
“Nobody has reported anything to me. Nobody had presented any evidence of any misconduct on the part of the headmaster to me,” he said.
He added that he did not want to fuel what he described as a perception against the headmaster without evidence.
“So my role was to just advise him, ‘Watch your conduct,’” he said.
The committee also questioned him about reports that he had given GH¢1,000 to individuals connected to the matter.
The mayor acknowledged giving the money to a person who had travelled to meet him, explaining that it was intended to cover fuel expenses.
“Then I call somebody from his house, drives beyond three communities to come to where I am, he comes in a vehicle, and I give him 1,000 cedi. Which one amongst us here as politicians have not given out money to people when we call them and we give them fuel?” he asked.
When a committee member sought clarification on whether the payment was for fuel, he replied: “For fuel.”
Mr. Agyemang Boadi thanked the committee for the opportunity to explain his involvement, describing the matter as one of public interest.
-Overseeronline.com
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