Kofi Iddie Adams, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, formally took over as the sector’s leader yesterday, February 10, 2025.2.10.
As part of his first day of work, he called a meeting with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to talk about issues including stadium security and Ghana Football’s development.
Following the tragic event that devastated the football community and resulted in the death of an Asante Kotoko fan, the meeting’s primary focus was on improving safety and security at the various match locations.
The event happened recently at Nana Koramansah Park in Nsoatreman during a league game between Asante Kotoko and the Nsoatreman football team.
The Ghana Football Association’s general secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, informed the minister on the investigation’s progress and said the event was being handled as a criminal case.
He gave the Minister his word that the GFA will work closely with the security services to assist in holding the offenders accountable.
The Minister emphasized the gravity of losing a supporter at a game and gave the assurance that those found guilty would not be exempt from punishment but would instead be subject to the full force of the law.
He continued by outlining the many actions the GFA has done to restore the Ghana Premier League’s sanity moving ahead, including the league’s suspension.
The GFA has created improved safety procedures for the different match locations after consulting with all of its stakeholders, the General Secretary said, and the Minister would have access to them for his review and eventual implementation.
In order to give spectators a better stadium experience, the Minister hinted that he was determined to find a long-term solution to the hooliganism problem.
In terms of facilities, he instructed the GFA and the Ministry’s chief director to form a committee to reevaluate the venues’ viability for league games nationwide and determine which ones satisfy the legal minimum requirements.
In order to prevent any future incidents, he also instructed the GFA to intensify its “say no to hooliganism” campaign and improve the training of all football players, fans, and officials on how to behave at game locations. He also promised to keep working with the GFA on a regular basis to boost stadium attendance and revitalize football.
The Minister urged everyone involved to work together and support Ghana Football and other sports as the meeting came to a close.
He stated that instead of assigning blame, he thought it was important to concentrate on finding answers to the problems facing Ghanaian sports.
Source: newsthemegh.com