We haven’t done much to avert May 9 repeat – Obetsebi-Lamptey

Former Chief of Staff in the Kufuor administration Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has observed that Ghana has not lived by the recommendations made by the Okudzeto Committee to avert a repeat of the May 9, 2001 stadium disaster which killed 126 football fans.

“I don’t think that we have done nearly as much as the Okuzeto committee recommended that we should do to make sure that it does not occur again,” Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey told Henry Asante Twum on Starr 103.5FM’s Extra Time Saturday.

Among the recommendations of the Committee which investigated the disaster was the prohibition of the firing of tear gas within enclosed spaces as a crowd control measure.

“Tear gas should never be fired under any circumstance in an enclosed area as a means of crowd control or dispersal,” the Committee recommended, but over the years, there have been instances where this recommendation has been ignored by the Ghana Police Service.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said it appears the country has left the Committee’s report and recommendations to gather dust, and not paying much attention to it.

Meanwhile former Asante Kotoko Board Chairman, Mr. Herbert Mensah has organised a commemoration event in Accra for victims of the May 9 disaster, which claimed the lives of 126 fans at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2001.

Mr. Mensah has embarked on a task through personal efforts to cater for families that are going through difficult times due to the loss of loved ones who were bread winners of their household.

This year the families of victims who live in Kumasi met other families in Accra to share their experiences and interact about the aftermath of the sad incident.