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.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) on this sombre day, continues to remember our fallen brothers and sisters and also mourn with their respective relatives. Indeed, May 9th will forever remain in indelible date on the calendar of the GFA in remembering our departed friends and also an important guide to the battle against hooliganism.
Over the years, the GFA has taken stringent measures to curb hooliganism in Ghana football. Fan education, effective security at league centres and meting out tougher sanctions including stadium bans to clubs whose supporters engage in acts of violence have been some of the steps the GFA has taken. There is, however, some more work to be done in the fight against hooliganism by stakeholders.
On the part of the GFA, the greatest tribute it can pay to our fallen friends is to continuously ensure that safety of all is guaranteed at every league centre. The GFA will, therefore, continue to engage all stakeholders, particularly football fans, to ensure that we set high safety standards at football matches.
In the coming few days, the GFA will be hosting a seminar for the various supporters groups in the country to educate them on some aspects of the Laws of the Game as well as remind them about the dangers of hooliganism to football and the need to curb it.
Once again, the GFA sympathizes with the families of our friends and pray to God Almighty to soothe their pains.
SIGNED KWESI NYANTAKYI PRESIDENT, GFA.