May 9 Disaster Observation: Football will be safer- Sports Minister assures

Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams

Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, spoke about football safety. This comes as Ghana marks the 24th anniversary of the May 9 Disaster.

The disaster resulted in the deaths of 127 people. Many others were injured during a stampede at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2001. The incident occurred during a match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

To commemorate this anniversary, a brief ceremony was held. Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku emphasized the need for justice. He referred to the death of Kotoko fan Francis Yaw “Pooley” Frimpong due to hooliganism earlier this season.

In his speech, Minister Adams assured that football will be safer for everyone. He said, “For all of us who love our football, we want to continue to encourage that football will be safer.”

He mentioned that they have redeveloped some rules with the GFA. They also inspected various stadiums used for the Premier League. Some facilities were found below standard and have been suspended.

Adams promised ongoing improvements in stadium security. He stated that incidents like May 9 and Pooley's death should not happen again.