The Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has called for continued education and discipline among football supporters as Ghana marks 25 years since the May 9 Stadium Disaster.

Speaking during the commemoration at the Accra Sports Stadium, and in an interview with GhanaWeb, the NSA boss recalled his personal experience of witnessing the tragedy as a young journalist working with Joy FM.

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“Twenty-five years ago, I was a young journalist with Joy FM,” he said. “I came back to the stadium and saw bodies lying around. At the time, I thought they were unconscious. I had no idea they had passed.”

He revealed that he also reported on the disaster for the BBC after receiving a call from broadcaster Drew Osam Thomas, who was not on duty that evening.

The NSA Director-General recounted the confusion and panic that unfolded on May 9, 2001, during the Ghana Premier League match between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak.

According to him, many people outside the stadium were initially unaware of the scale of the tragedy.

“I had left the stadium when I started receiving calls that there were casualties. I thought people had probably been injured during some unrest. But the calls kept coming, so I returned, and that was when it dawned on us that this disaster had occurred,” he said.

He explained that the stadium has since been reconstructed, while major reforms have also been introduced to improve safety at football venues across the country.

The NSA boss credited successive administrations, working alongside the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, and the National Ambulance Service, for implementing measures aimed at preventing a recurrence of such a tragedy.

“Over the years, many measures have been put in place. There have been workshops, seminars, and stakeholder engagements to ensure we do not witness such a disaster again,” he stated.

He further urged football fans, club administrators, referees, and the media to help fight hooliganism and promote tolerance in the game.

“Referees and officials can make mistakes, but it doesn’t mean we should take the law into our own hands,” he stressed. “We need to continue educating fans and officials to use the right channels to address grievances without resorting to violence.”

The Director-General added that the NSA recently intensified security measures during Ghana’s World Cup qualifiers through collaborations with security agencies and fan education initiatives.

PAH/MA

May 9 Stadium Tragedy: Yaw Ampofo Ankrah reflects on 25th Anniversary