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GFA meets Accra Hearts of Oak SC and Asante Kotoko SC
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) met with Accra Hearts of Oak SC and Asante Kotoko SC yesterday to review the remaining proposals.
With Enhanced Matchday Safety and Security Protocol 2025 already in place and shared with all stakeholders, safety and security remain the FA’s top priority.
The two giant clubs in their joint petition to the FA demanded the full implementation of the Gbadegbe Commission report and the deployment of at least 100 police personnel for Category A and B matches.
Additionally, they suggested assigning at least 20 military officers to Category A matches and some high-risk Category B matches.
The clubs also recommended that security personnel be sourced from different regions rather than the locality of the match venue and that security cameras be installed at all league centres.
Other security-related proposals included conducting a new risk assessment to properly categorize matches and relocating games from venues that do not meet the necessary safety standards.
The Club Licensing Department was urged to establish new minimum standards for Premier League match venues.
Beyond security measures, Kotoko and Hearts of Oak proposed that the league should become autonomous and be managed independently. They also urged the GFA to seek exemptions from Value Added Tax (VAT) and other deductions on match proceeds.
Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has engaged South Africa’ International Relations Minister over xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians.
In a revelation on Facebook, he posted “I have this morning held a telephone conversation with my South African counterpart, His Excellency Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. I called him on the trending videos about Ghanaians coming under extremely disturbing xenophobic attacks in South Africa.”
According to him, ” The South African Foreign Minister has expressed his empathy with the victims and promised full scale investigations into the depressing incidents.”
“The Government of South Africa is set to hold a briefing with African Ambassadors later today,” he added.
Okudzeto Ablakwa also confirmed that since yesterday, he had been in constant contact with Ghana’s High Commissioner in South Africa, His Excellency Benjamin Quarshie, coordinating the country’s response.
“I am gladdened that so far colleagues in our diplomatic mission have located the main victim in the viral video and are offering consular assistance. He is doing very well,” he added
The Minister revealed that “No Ghanaian life has been lost. We urge calm and confidence in our collective capacity to protect Ghanaians.”
He further noted that the Mahama Administration remains uncompromising about the welfare and safety of Ghanaians both home and abroad.
“We are determined to guarantee the protection of all citizens,” he added.
“May these regrettable incidents never quench our Pan-African love and solidarity for each other. The overwhelming majority of Africans are united and share an unbreakable bond — we shall not be divided by the hatred of a few fringe elements,” Okudzeto Ablakwa concluded .
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Odumase-Krobo District Command on Monday, April 20, 2026, arrested a female suspect in connection with the abduction of a nine (9) year old girl at Agormanya Zongo in the Odumase-Krobo district.
On Sunday, April 19, 2026, the Odumase-Krobo district Command received a complaint from victim’s father that his daughter left home and had since not returned.
Following investigations and intelligence, officers from the Odumase-Krobo district with the assistance of BNI personnel at the Accra International Airport arrested suspect Regina Mamle Tawiah, aged 36, and rescued the victim at the Accra International Airport.
Preliminary investigations revealed that suspect was trying to send the victim to Kenya.
Meanwhile, the victim has been reunited with her father.
The suspect, Regina Mamle Tawiah who was arraigned before the Odumase-Krobo circuit court yesterday, April 21, 2026.
She pleaded not guilty and has been remanded into police custody to reappear on May 5, 2026 for case management conference.
The Eastern Regional Police Command has entreated the general public to remain vigilant at all times and promptly report any suspicious persons or behaviour to the police.
