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GFA President Kurt Okraku Calls on Ghana Police to Deliver Justice for Pooley’s Death
President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has made a passionate appeal to the Ghana Police Service to intensify efforts to bring the perpetrators behind the tragic death of Asante Kotoko supporter, Pooley, to justice.
Speaking during the commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the May 9 Stadium Disaster at the Accra Sports Stadium, the GFA President reminded the nation of the need to ensure that football remains a safe and unifying force for all.
“The loss of Pooley is a painful reminder that we still have work to do in protecting the lives of supporters and preserving the sanctity of the game,” said Mr. Okraku.
He called on the Police, saying “I strongly urge the Ghana Police Service to pursue justice swiftly and ensure those responsible for his untimely death are held accountable.”
Pooley, a devoted fan of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, was reportedly murdered during a league match incident at Nsoatre—a tragedy that sent shockwaves through the football community.
The GFA President emphasized that the Association is committed to working with all relevant stakeholders to eliminate hooliganism and violence at football venues across the country.
He stated that while strides have been made in improving infrastructure and enforcing regulations, full justice for victims is a critical part of restoring public confidence in the sport.
Mr. Simeon-Okraku’s remarks came in the presence of leading football stakeholders, including the Sports Minister, members of the GFA Executive Council, representatives from Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, the Director-General of the National Sports Authority, and family members of victims of the May 9 Disaster.
The call for justice for Pooley comes at a time when the football community continues to reflect on past tragedies like the May 9 Disaster, with a collective commitment to the mantra: “Never Again.”
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three men believed to be part of a kidnapping syndicate responsible for abducting a 42-year-old man in Wapuli, a community in the Yendi District.
The suspects, Haruna Seidu, Amidu Bandi and Osman Bandi allegedly kidnapped the victim and demanded GH¢100,000 from his family for his release.
According to a police statement, officers from the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate were deployed to Wapuli after the incident was reported.
The team conducted surveillance and launched a rescue operation.
On Friday, December 5, 2025, police successfully rescued the victim and arrested the suspects after what was described as an intense exchange of gunfire.
The suspects were later taken into custody and are expected to be arraigned before court.
The Police said the a fourth suspect, who is believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the operation, is currently on the run.
They urged the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong advocates Bold educational reforms at the UK House of Lords during Global Education Summit.
On November 27 2025, global development leaders, policymakers, education experts and civil society organisations gathered at the UK Parliament’s House of Lords for the Global Education Summit hosted by The Baroness Verma of Leicester and organised by the African British Business Forum.
The high-level event focused on the global rise in out-of-school children and the urgent reforms required to deliver equitable, quality education for all.
Among the distinguished Speakers was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Founder & President of Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) and General Manager of the EIB Network, who delivered a compelling address on the theme “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Out-of-School Children Through Education.”
In her remarks, Nana Yaa who is currently celebrating 26years of Service in the Media, emphasized that education must be viewed as essential national infrastructure, not charity.
Borrowing experiences from her 18 years of empowering women and young people, she presented a strong case on how Africa’s poor educational systems tie into the poor state of its Gender Equality gap.
According to her, unlocking access to education is one of the most effective ways to strengthen economies, empower women and young girls, build resilient communities and drive sustainable development.
She highlighted that each child excluded from learning represents deferred innovation, delayed opportunity and a weakened society.
Nana Yaa noted that the barriers keeping millions of children out of school are complex and interconnected—ranging from poverty and cultural norms to geographical isolation and digital exclusion.
Addressing these challenges, she argued, requires solutions that are equally comprehensive and multi-layered.
Nana Yaa stressed that girls remain disproportionately affected, and investing in girls’ education has a transformative impact across several Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, poverty reduction, health outcomes and climate resilience.
Nana Yaa advocated for the expansion of flexible, inclusive and community-responsive educational models, such as mobile classrooms for remote and nomadic communities, community learning hubs, after-hours programmes for working children, radio-based instruction for low-tech areas and digital platforms designed to reach learners regardless of connectivity challenges.
She warned that without deliberate action, the digital divide would continue to widen, pushing already vulnerable children further to the margins.
During her presentation, she introduced three major reforms WiSA is seeking Partners for, aimed at reshaping educational access across Africa and beyond.
These are the Digital Bridge for Out-of-School Children (DBOC), the Community Education Stewardship Hubs (CESH) involving local women educators and youth volunteers and the Teen-focused Global Skills Accelerator for Out-of-School Teens (GSA-OT).
She also underscored the need for education systems that support instruction, inclusivity and healing, particularly for children experiencing autism, trauma, displacement or conflict.
Nana Yaa emphasised that emotional and psychological support must be integrated into educational frameworks in order to restore confidence, stability and long-term learning capacity.
The summit concluded with strong commitments from stakeholders to adopt sustainable financing models, strengthen data-driven policies and expand cross-sector partnerships.
The African British Business Forum reaffirmed its commitment to championing innovative, scalable solutions to educational inclusion across the UK, Africa and the wider global community.
