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GFA President issues statement to commemorate May 9 stadium disaster
President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku has today, May 9, 2024 issued a statement
to commemorate Ghana’s excruciating stadium disaster which happened in 2001 during a match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Accra Sports Stadium.
He said these commemorative events serve as constant reminders that continuing efforts to rid Ghana Football of hooliganism and make our stadiums safe is “the biggest tribute we can pay to those who unfortunately died and those who were scarred by the events of May 9, 2021.”
He further noted that as we commemorate that day, the FA’s thoughts and prayers remain with all who were affected by the May 9 Disaster.
Read the full statement below
Twenty-three years ago, on May 9, 2001, thousands of vibrant men and women converged at the Accra Sports Stadium to witness the nation’s biggest local league fixture – Accra Hearts of Oak versus Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
Twenty – three years ago, millions of football enthusiasts sat glued to their television sets watching in horror as barely a few minutes after that absorbing contest ended, news of rising deaths from a stampede at the stadium started filtering through. At the last official count, one 127 football fans were reported to have lost their lives in what came to be known as the May 9 Disaster.
Year in, year out, the football fraternity and its friends huddle together to honour the memory of the dearly departed and to share strength with the families they left behind and those who sustained injuries on that dark day in Ghana’s football history.
For us, at the Ghana Football Association, these commemorative events serve as constant reminders that our continuing efforts to rid Ghana Football of hooliganism and make our stadiums safe is the biggest tribute we can pay to those who unfortunately died and those who were scarred by the events of May 9th, 2021. Their sacrifice will be meaningless if we relent in this endeavour.
As we commemorate that day, our thoughts and prayers remain with all who were affected by the May 9 Disaster. We pray for continuing comfort for us all as we remain resolute in our faith in the Almighty.
May the souls of our dearly departed brothers and sisters continue to rest in perfect peace.
May God bless and protect us all.
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
