Accra (Greater Accra) 06 November 2001 - Six police officers are to be charged with manslaughter for their part in the May 9 Accra Sports Stadium Disaster, which claimed 126 lives.
The Government White Paper on the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the catastrophe named the police officers as Chief Superintendent (CSP) Nana Koranteng Mintah, Assistant Superintendent (ASP) John Asare Maami and ASP Frank Awu.
The rest are ASP Benjamin Bosomi Bakomora, ASP Francis Ayitey Aryee and ASP
Faakye Kumi. Though the Commission recommended that they be tried for murder or manslaughter, the government has decided to go for the latter and has subsequently asked the Attorney General to proceed with the charge.
The White Paper said the government has endorsed the full findings of the Commission but would prefer to pursue manslaughter charge, "having regard to the clear intent to cause harm which resulted in the deaths".
It blamed the police for not resorting to the requirement of warning before shooting indiscriminately into the crowd, and worse of all, for sustaining the shooting even though initial shots had achieved their objective.
Consequently the White Paper said the police used the shooting "as an instrument of punishment of the spectators, the majority of whom had patently not taken part in the vandalism."
The Commission was also of the view that there was "a clear conspiracy of silence amongst the policemen who appeared before it, which was intended to subvert the cause of justice.
The President on May 11 appointed a five-member commission of inquiry under Article 278 (1) of the constitution to probe the circumstances leading to it and proffer solutions to avert a recurrence.
Mr Sam Okudzeto, a legal practitioner chaired the commission, which other members were, Professor George Ofosu Amaah, Professor Akua Kuenyehia, Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa and Mr Ken Bediako.
Mr Miguel Ribeiro served as Counsel to the commission while Mrs Regina Apotsi was its secretary.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 November 2001 - Brigadier George Brock, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) is to be fired for gross negligence in the performance of his duties on May 9, leading to the Accra Sports Stadium
Disaster.
This is contained in a government White Paper on the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the disaster released in Accra on Tuesday.
Warrant Officer Class Two, Seth Dwamena, Chief Security Officer of the NSC has also been recommended for the sack for gross negligence. The White Paper also recommended the appointment of a Chief Safety Officer, a new position, for the NSC.
The report said Government views the unwarranted ministerial interference in the affairs of the NSC as capricious use of political power and deplores the conduct of Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, the former sector minister.
Government also frowned at the conduct of the consultant who supervised the project "in allowing a lay minister to influence his professional judgement" and recommended that the NSC should be run in accordance with the Sports laws and not as a department of the ministry of Youth and Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 November 2001 - Champion club Accra Hearts of oak who are just two wins away from clinching their fifth consecutive league title will be going all out against their arch-rivals, Accra Great Olympics in a local derby at the Accra Sports Stadium, come Sunday.
The brain behind the winning spree, Coach Jones Attuquayefio said this in an interview with the GNA Sports on Tuesday. "I hate it when people say that the league has already been won, I believe until it's all over, it is not over," he said.
Coach Attuquayefio said he is not ready to underrate any club whatsoever and therefore prepared for any team, no matter the level of opposition they wield. Hearts are scheduled to meet Okwawu United in an F/A Cup encounter on Thursday, having qualified for the next stage of the competition via a win against Feyernood Solgado of Gomoa Feteh a couple of days ago.
Coach Attuquayefio said the full compliment of his team would be on parade in order to tackle the two encounters with all the seriousness they deserve. He however ruled out any form of compromise to surrender the three maximum points at stake to the Wonder Club without a fight to enable them to lift themselves out of the relegation zone as being speculated in certain quarters.
When quizzed if he was going to leave Hearts after this season, coach Attuquayefio said though his contract ends at the end of the season, if negotiations open, he would communicate the decision to the public.
He said new players are likely to be recruited to sharpen the team ahead of their preparation for the CAF Clubs Championship and that it is the wish of the Phobians to conquer Africa next year.
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