Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation has committed to improving safety measures for or all stakeholders at various stadiums, outlining ongoing initiatives at Premier League facilities across the nation.
Mr. Kofi Adams said this during the commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the May 9th Disaster at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The tragedy that occurred on Wednesday, May 9th 2001 during a Premier League match between fierce rivals Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, marked its 24th anniversary on Friday, with family members joining football administrators and government officials to lay wreaths at the stadium’s memorial monument, as they have done annually since the disaster.
“For all of us who love our football, we want to continue to encourage that football will be safer,” Mr Adams told those gathered at the ceremony.
The Minister revealed that recent stadium inspections had led to concrete actions, with some venues failing to meet required standards.
“Together with the GFA, we redeveloped some rules, we visited the various stadia facilities that are being used for the Premier League and some we found them to be below standard and therefore have been suspended while conditional approval was given to others,” he said.
Mr Adams specifically referenced the recent death of Asante Kotoko supporter Francis Yaw “Pooley” Frimpong in an incident of football hooliganism.
“I can assure you, we will continue to improve upon our stadia security so that what happened on May 9 and the recent incident that led to the death of Pooley will not repeat itself,” he pledged.
The game that saw Hearts of Oak win by 2-1 ended in sorrow when police fired tear gas into crowds following disturbances, triggering a deadly stampede that claimed 127 lives.
The anniversary event brought together key stakeholders from Ghanaian football, including GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, who called for justice in the Pooley case and emphasised the importance of preventing future tragedies.
Ghana’s football authorities have implemented various safety measures since 2001, including mandatory safety officers at Premier League venues and regular infrastructure assessments.
The Minister’s comments highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing passionate football culture with necessary safety protocols in a country where the sport commands immense public interest.
“May 9th stands as a permanent reminder of our collective responsibility,” noted Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Director-General of Ghana’s National Sports Authority, who was also present at the ceremony.
As the ceremony concluded, family members of those lost in 2001 remained at the memorial, some clutching photographs of loved ones who perished on that tragic day 24 years ago.
