Ghana Football Association (GFA) has suspended all Ghana Premier League matches in response to the recent outbreak of violence in Nsoatre.
The violent incident, which occurred during a match between Nsoatreman FC and Asante Kotoko on Matchday 19, tragically resulted in the death of a Kotoko supporter.
In light of this, the GFA has announced the postponement of Matchday 20 fixtures. The Association explained that this decision will allow time to engage with key stakeholders to assess the impact of the incident and explore measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The action taken “will allow the GFA to assess the situation, consult with stakeholders, and develop strategies to prevent such incidents in the future.”
“The GFA has been working to improve the overall football experience in Ghana and is keen to ensure that this incident is dealt with swiftly and decisively to send the signal that such acts have no place in Ghana Football.”
The victim, Francis Frimpong, widely known as Pooley, was a devoted fan of Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
According to an eyewitness present in the VIP section of the stadium, the altercation erupted while they were seated near Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations.
“I was seated right below Hon. Baffour Awuah, who is the owner of the club, when the fight started on the pitch,” he said in Twi.
“Kwasi Appiah [Head of Asante Kotoko’s Technical Directorate] was seated to his right. So when the fight broke out, he went downstairs to try and calm the situation.
“When he got there, he signalled for Kwasi Appiah to join him, but some of the Kotoko leadership advised Appiah not to, warning that the situation was too volatile and he could be attacked, so Appiah stayed back,” he narrated.
According to the eyewitness, this angered Baffour Awuah.
“He got upset that Appiah ignored him and, out of frustration, signalled the supporters to continue what they were doing. He incited the fans. On his way back to his seat, Pooley approached him.”
Reports indicate that Appiah was hit with water, prompting him to exit the stadium.
However, just as calm seemed to return, the situation took a devastating turn.