News
Senior housemaster suspended for invoking curse on students
What began as idle student gossip at the Nkenkenso Senior High School in Offinso-North of the Ashanti region has erupted into a scandal that has shaken the institution, drawing a stern gaze of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
At the centre of the storm is Mr Akwasi Opoku—known to students as ‘Striker’—the Senior Housemaster now suspended after allegedly invoking a curse on three school boys under his care.
It all started with whispers. The students had reportedly linked Mr Opoku to the tragic death of a teacher who died in a motor accident following an alleged altercation. When the rumours reached him, the confrontation that followed was anything but ordinary. In a moment that stunned the school community, Mr Opoku was said to have pronounced a curse on the boys.
The story took an even darker turn when his mother, reputed to be a chief priestess, allegedly performed rituals tied to the curse. To undo it, the students were initially asked to pay GH¢1,000 each. But later they offered six fowls, one guinea fowl, three bottles of Schnapps and GH¢500 each before the curse was said to be overturned.
For households already struggling, the financial burden was crushing; for the students, the emotional toll was far worse. Fear replaced youthful confidence, and the classroom became a place of dread.
Attempts by the Headmaster and the District Director of Education to quietly resolve the matter failed until the GES stepped in. On February 24, the GES issued a statement condemning Mr Opoku’s actions which it described as “unprofessional and damaging to the reputation of both the school and the GES.”
He has since been suspended, directed to hand over all school property and documents to the Assistant Headmaster while investigations continue.
The incident has sparked outrage and soul-searching as parents consider the safety of their children in the hands of those entrusted with their welfare.
For now, the students at Nkenkenso Senior High School walk their campus with a mix of relief and lingering fear; relief that the curse has been lifted and fear that authority could be wielded in ways that leave them vulnerable.
The GES investigation will determine Mr Opoku’s fate, but the case has already become a mirror reflecting broader concerns: professionalism in education, accountability in leadership, and the fragile trust between educators and the young lives they shape.
As one parent put it, “We bring our children here to learn, not to live in fear of curses.”
When the Headmaster of the School, Kwaku Djan-Asante, was contacted on phone, he would not give details, saying the “case is now being handled by the GES.”
The chairman of the Parents Teacher Association (PTA), Mr Thomas Addicossi Dieudonne, confirmed to The Spectator and insisted that, “We have taken a strong decision that we don’t want Mr Opoku in the school any more.”
“Even though the GES is yet to determine the case, this is our position,” he added.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The state has closed its case in the Republic v Akonta Mining and two others.
The case was heard earlier today at the Accra Criminal Court, where state prosecutors and CID investigators from the Ghana Police Service closed the Republic’s case.
In all, the prosecution called three witnesses to prove its case, two former employees of Akonta Mining Company Limited and a detective from the Ghana Police Service.
According to an update on the case, the two former employees testified to Mr Bernard Antwi-Boasiako’s deep involvement in Akonta Mining Company’s alleged illegal mining activities in the Tano-Nimiri Forest Reserve.
The police detective tendered in evidence drone footage and other audio-visual materials and official communications in support of the testimonies of the two former Akonta Mining employees.
The accused persons, through cross-examination of the witnesses, sought to dissociate themselves from every mining activity in the Tano-Nimiri Forest Reserve.
At the close of the prosecution’s case, counsel for the accused persons asked the court to allow him to call the first prosecution witness back into the witness box for further cross-examination.
The court gave him up to Friday, October 30, to file a formal motion to recall the witnesses.
The case has been adjourned to November 4 for the motion to be heard.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, spokesperson to NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has called on the government and Parliament to undertake major reforms in Ghana’s prison system, including the construction of a dedicated prison hospital and the introduction of regulated conjugal visits.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Dr Boakye-Danquah shared Chairman Wontumi’s observations and recommendations following his remand on July 20, 2026.
According to the statement, Chairman Wontumi’s experience in prison has given him the opportunity to interact with prison officers and inmates and observe the challenges facing the Ghana Prisons Service.
The statement noted that the NPP chairman believes the correctional system must move beyond punishment to focus on rehabilitation, welfare and productivity.
One of his major concerns is the lack of dedicated, well-equipped prison hospitals, ambulances and standby generators in several prison facilities.
Dr Boakye-Danquah said Chairman Wontumi had raised concerns about the difficulties in providing medical care to seriously ill inmates, including those suffering from tuberculosis.
He is therefore calling for the construction of a modern prison hospital to serve facilities across the country. In the interim, he has proposed emergency arrangements with the 37 Military Hospital and the Police Hospital.
On the welfare of prison officers, Chairman Wontumi has urged the government to review their salaries, accommodation and conditions of service.
He has also called for proper classification of inmates, arguing that minor offenders should not be housed alongside armed robbery convicts and that persons facing trial for serious offences, including treason and terrorism, should be appropriately separated from other inmates.
The statement further highlighted concerns about the need for counselling and behavioural support for young inmates, particularly those serving sentences for defilement-related offences.
Chairman Wontumi has also called for a clear policy on the classification and management of LGBTQI+ inmates within the prison system.
On family relationships, he has proposed the creation of designated private areas where prisoners can receive visits from their spouses and children.
He believes regulated conjugal visits could help preserve marriages, reduce tension among inmates and support rehabilitation.
“The prisoner is the one in prison, not the children or spouse,” the statement noted, explaining his position on the need to protect family relationships during incarceration.
Chairman Wontumi has appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to support prison farms with the necessary equipment to improve food production.
According to the statement, the Ghana Prisons Service has access to vast lands and skilled labour but faces a shortage of agricultural equipment, with only one tractor reportedly available for farming and garbage-related activities.
He has further proposed greater collaboration between prison authorities and the justice sector, suggesting that regional prison commanders should be included in relevant discussions because of their knowledge of prison conditions and inmate rehabilitation.
On infrastructure, Chairman Wontumi has called on the government and private sector to invest in modern prison facilities and factories, arguing that the system has seen limited structural improvements over the years.
Appeal to Parliament
Dr Boakye-Danquah said Chairman Wontumi had made a special appeal to Parliament to lead efforts towards comprehensive prison reform.
He is urging the Speaker of Parliament to initiate discussions on prison conditions as a human rights and national development issue.
He has also called on the Majority and Minority caucuses to work together to pass a new Prison Reform Act and approve funding for a dedicated prison hospital, ambulance services, standby generators and agricultural equipment.
Additionally, he wants the Parliamentary Select Committees on Defence and Interior, Health, and Food and Agriculture to undertake working visits to prisons across the country to assess conditions firsthand.
According to the statement, Chairman Wontumi believes bipartisan cooperation between the Majority and Minority caucuses is necessary to secure the legal and financial reforms required to improve the prison system.
He has called for broader prison reforms across Africa, expressing hope that Ghana could lead the continent in improving correctional facilities.
Reflecting on his experience since July 20, Chairman Wontumi stated: “At this experience since July 20th till date, prison doesn’t reform as it should be. I pray that the entire Africa will learn from Ghana.”
The statement added that Chairman Wontumi remained in high spirits.
By: Jacob Aggrey
