Minister for Youth and Sports Mustapha Ahmed has tasked the National Sports Authority(NSA) to come out with a proposed plan to engage supporters in order to prevent crowd violence by the end of this week.
He stated that,supporters need to be educated to ensure that such events as the May 9 disaster does not occur in the country.
Speaking at this year’s May 9 disaster commemoration ceremony at the Accra Sports Stadium,he said the supporters unions must work closely with the ministry to ensure such events are prevented.
“Let us all come together and guard against any action that will lead to disaster at the stadium as such events could be traced to crowd hooliganism,bad officiating and poor security management to mention a few,”he stated.
The event started with a seminar where supporter were educated on some measures to prevent disaster before the rift laying ceremony performed by the minister and other dignitaries.
Emergency and Paramedic Instructor,Mohammed Majid Mahama took supporters through some
important measures to ensure safety at the stadium.
Secretary to the May 9 disaster Board of Trustees,Christopher Annan also disclosed that the children of the over 100 victims are supported by the disaster fund.
In all he said,there are about 148 children currently in school from the basic to the tertiary levels and their education is handled by the fund.
“It is a wrong perception out there that children of the victims have been ignored by government as the registered number of children continuously receive financial aid from government to assist with education,”he stated.
He added that the board is only obliged to look after the children through school and the money for such purpose is usually made available.
Meanwhile, the Ghana FA has renewed its pledge to ensure all league match centers are well secured on the 14th anniversary of the horrific May 9 disaster which claimed over 120 lives.
Ghana suffered one of the worst sporting disasters in the world when over 120 persons were reported death in clashes during a league match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko on May 9, 2001 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The disaster has since left a massive imprint on the families of the deceased – resulting in careful efforts to ensure violence during games are curbed.
The GFA says it will continue to make efforts to rid the game of hooligans as it sent its message of condolence to the families of the deceased on the 14th anniversary of the stadium disaster.
“Today, May 9th 2015, marks the 14th anniversary of one of the gloomiest days in the history of Ghana football where over 120 football fans lost their lives after a league match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko,” a statement signed by GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi read.
<<Print>>