The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has renewed calls for an end to violence in Ghana football as the country marked the 25th anniversary of the May 9 Stadium Disaster.

Speaking at the remembrance ceremony in Accra on May 9, 2026, Kofi Adams emphasised the need for football fans, clubs, match officials, and all stakeholders to continue learning from the tragic incident that claimed 127 lives at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2001.

In his address, the Minister noted that although 25 years have passed since the disaster, the painful memories remain fresh and continue to serve as a reminder of the importance of safety and discipline in sports.

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He stated that significant lessons have been learned by government, security services, football clubs, the Ghana Football Association, and referees in the management of matches and crowd control.

According to him, supporters must understand that disagreements with officiating decisions should never lead to violence, stressing that established procedures exist for addressing grievances in football.

“The fans must understand that in football, if you disagree with the call of an officiating official, there are laid-down processes you can follow to have your matter addressed. Violence should never be the cause,” he said.

The Minister also highlighted government’s continued investment in sports infrastructure and talent development, describing sports as a growing avenue for employment and national unity.

He urged Ghanaians to support the local sports economy by patronising local football clubs and wearing jerseys of Ghanaian teams instead of only supporting foreign clubs.

“If you walk around town, you can find many people wearing jerseys of clubs in Europe and the Americas, but you hardly find people wearing jerseys of our local clubs. We need to begin to change that,” he added.

He further called for improvements in sports administration, officiating standards, and fan education to ensure such tragedies never occur again.

Touching on the welfare of families affected by the disaster, the Minister commended managers of the May 9 Disaster Fund for supporting children and relatives of victims over the years.

He revealed that discussions would soon be held between government, the National Sports Authority, the Ghana Football Association, and the fund managers to determine the next phase of the fund’s work.

PAH/MA

Stakeholders mark May 9 Anniversary with strong anti-violence message