Stakeholders in Ghana football have renewed calls to eliminate hooliganism and violence from the sport as the country marked the 20th anniversary of the May 9 Accra Sports Stadium disaster.
The commemoration, held at the entrance of the Accra Sports Stadium under the theme “Never Again – Say No to Hooliganism,” honoured the 126 football fans who lost their lives during the tragedy on May 9, 2001.
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The disaster occurred after a league match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko turned violent, leading police to fire tear gas into the crowd. The action triggered a stampede that resulted in the deaths of several supporters.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif; Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Professor Peter Twumasi; Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice President Mark Addo; Asante Kotoko Chief Executive Officer Nana Yaw Amponsah; Hearts of Oak National Chapters Committee Chairman Elvis Herman Hesse and other football stakeholders.
Families of the victims, football administrators and supporters also joined in a wreath-laying ceremony to remember the deceased.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, said the best tribute to the victims was to ensure that such a tragedy never happened again.
He called on football stakeholders to intensify efforts against hooliganism and urged fans to maintain discipline at match venues. He added that government would continue investing in sports infrastructure to make stadiums safer.
The Vice President of the Ghana Football Association, Mark Addo, said the GFA was implementing measures to educate fans that football should promote unity, friendship and healthy competition.
He noted that more investment was needed to train security personnel on how to professionally manage tense situations at stadiums. He added that the GFA had invested in technology, including surveillance cameras, to improve security.
The Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Professor Peter Twumasi, said the authority had implemented recommendations from the Okudzeto Commission, which was established in 2001 to investigate the disaster.
He mentioned improvements in stadium entry and exit points, emergency services and ambulance availability as some of the measures introduced to enhance safety.
Asante Kotoko CEO Nana Yaw Amponsah described the May 9 disaster as one of the worst football tragedies in history and urged supporters to avoid violence when expressing disappointment over match results.
Hearts of Oak National Chapters Committee Chairman Elvis Herman Hesse also called for collective efforts to remove hooliganism from football and preserve the memory of those who lost their lives.
Meanwhile, the May 9 fund established to support families of the victims continues to assist 21 children, including 15 at the tertiary level, five in senior high school and one pursuing vocational training.
