Kotoko board member denies allegation
Kotoko board member denies allegation
Mr Frank Osei-Wusu, a board member of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, has
categorically denied allegations that he belongs to or supports any group,
clique or faction in the current wrangling in the club.
Reacting to the recent disruption of a press conference by the Concerned
Supporters Union of Kotoko by a mob, Mr. Osei-Wusu stated that being someone
with an undying and unbending affection for Kotoko, he would not under any
circumstance conduct himself in any manner that would embarrass or derail the
glorious aspirations of the club.
Describing the incident as regrettable, he wondered why a press conference
convened by persons who have Kotoko at heart could be disrupted violently by
another group which also claims allegiance to the same club.
"As a person who has followed the fortunes of Kotoko from childhood, I am
truly ashamed and dismayed at the incident involving people who ostensibly have
a common cause, to wit making Kotoko the winsome and formidable team we have
always known it to be until recently", he bemoaned.
According to him, he could have ignored the allegation which was said to have
been made by the leader of the people who disrupted the event, but decided to
come out to set the records straight upon reflection.
"I must at the same time put on record my utter disgust at the recently
acquired taste and thirst for violence, which has engulfed our club. Any true
supporter of Kotoko would not resort to violence with a view to stifling the
criticism of people who have been brought up in the great Kotoko tradition of
consensus-building and an abiding desire to let all persons express their
opinions", he stressed.
He noted that instead of asserting his undoubted legal rights in respect of the
imputation of chicanery and clear slander and libel against him by those who
disrupted the press conference, he would rather direct his energies to finding
solutions to the seemingly endless inability of the club to re-assert its
dominance of the league.
Meanwhile, the police have appealed to all journalists who were allegedly
heckled and assaulted during last Tuesday's press conference at the
International Press Centre to come forward and assist them in their
investigations.
Speaking to the Graphic yesterday, Chief Supt. Jonathan Yakubu, Deputy Regional
Commander, revealed that the police have embarked on a full-scale investigation
into the incident and would need the support of all to make a meaningful
headway.
He disclosed that the leader of the group who disrupted the press conference,
Mahmoud Hussein, 33, surrendered himself to the Nima Police last Friday
following an official complaint by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
According to Chief Supt. Yakubu, Hussein who is an executive member of Circle
69 was released soon after his statement had been taken in view of last
Sunday's African Cup Winners Cup match involving Kotoko and A.S. Police in
Kumasi.
The Deputy Regional Commander, however, regretted the absence of police
personnel at the time of the incident, which was due to the fact that the
organisers did not notify the police about the event in the first place.
Meanwhile, the GJA has asked the group of attackers to replace the 40 plastic
chairs, which were damaged at the Press Centre during the attack.
According to the GJA General Secretary, Mr Bright Blewu, even though the seats
appeared to be in good condition in the wake of the incident, a thorough
inspection has revealed that they are now in a bad condition and therefore call
for replacement.
He also noted that a reporter from the Free Press lost his bag containing a
recorder and other items during the melee while the lens of a video camera
belonging to Metro TV was also destroyed.
GRi…/
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Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 08 October 2002 - Kumasi Cornerstone Football Club has accused Mr
Douglas Djarbeng, Board Chairman of Division One League (DOL), of incompetence
and called for his resignation.
Sheik Ibrahim Antwi,
Executive Chairman of the club made the call at a special meeting between the
club's management and the playing body where he said the final standings after
the zone two "A" matches is questionable.
The club, which had
14 points after the league, has been relegated while teams like Swedru All
Blacks on 12 points, Gagross, 11, and Vipers nine points have been retained.
"If Corners had 14 points and All Blacks had 12 points, the club found it
difficult to comprehend why Corners should be relegated and All Blacks retained
in Division One", he asked.
Sheik Antwi alleged
that Corners relegation is sequel to the fact that Obuasi Adansiman were being
promoted to take part in the Division One league.
Quoting from the
sports column of 14 August 2002, issue of the Daily Graphic in which it was
reported that Adansiman was vigorously undergoing a re-organization exercise to
return to the Premier league next season, he wondered how this could be since
Adansiman sent the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to court in contravention
of GFA regulations.
He said the Frank
Effah who claimed to be a supporter of Adansiman who sent the GFA to court had
now assumed the post of Team Manager of the club, pointing out that Corners
were inclined to believe that Effah either took the GFA to court on behalf of
Adansiman or the management of the club planted him to initiate the court
action against the GFA.
Strictly speaking,
Adansiman does not qualify to play in any league organized by the GFA in
accordance with GFA regulations, which bars clubs from sending the association
to court. Sheik Antwi said in any case the case was still pending in court and
argued that Effah knew the consequences of his action and yet he went ahead to
do it and as such Corners were not prepared to suffer in the hands of the GFA
to appease Adansiman.
He made it clear
that Mr Djarbeng was not competent to head DOL and said he (Djarbeng) should
have called the Division One clubs on the Mighty Jets case to find an amicable
solution to it instead of sending it to court.
Corners, Sheik Antwi
said were not above the other clubs and would have readily played in the second
division if it had been truly relegated but as things stood now, he stressed,
the club was not prepared to surrender its position or compromise on anything
short of taking part in the Division One league.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater
Accra) 08 October 2002- Ghana National Fire Service played a determined game in
the second half to beat Navy 22-20 in a fiercely contested league match played
at Burma Camp last Friday.
The encounter which
ended 11 all in the first half attracted a sizable crowd from the Armed Forces
Secondary School who are currently preparing to compete in the game at the
school level this year. Though Dominic Amenfi and Samuel Agyare make
outstanding moves for Navy, their efforts were not enough to secure victory for
their side.
Meanwhile, Police
Service on Thursday beat Future Stars by 31 goals to 18 at the Prisons Complex.
The following are the fixtures for this week. Navy would play Future Stars at
the Navy park on Thursday, Police would meet Prisons Service at the Kaneshi
Complex on Friday whiles Fire Service meets HOSTAC on Saturday.
GRi…/
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They are Bank of
Ghana, Barclays Bank, Ghana Limited, Ghana Commercial Bank and National
Investment Bank. Others are Standard Chartered Bank, Ecobank, Ghana Limited,
The Trust Bank and Agricultural Development Bank. The rest are Cal Merchant
Bank, Merchant Bank Ghana Limited, International Commercial Bank and
Metropolitan and Allied Banks.
In another related
debvelopmwent, Golden Beach Hotels, a Ghana-based consortium comprising La palm
Royal Beach Hotel, Busua Beach Resort and Elmina Beach Resort, will sponsor a
one-day golf competition at the Achimota Golf Course in Accra On Saturday, 12
October.
Mr Geoff Fisher,
Captain of the Achimota Golf Club said the 18-hole stableford competition would
draw participants from Tema, Achimota, Bok Nam Kim and Windy Bay golf clubs.
Mrs Jeann Donkoh,
Corporate Affairs and Marketing Manager of the hotel said the sponsorship is
the hotel's contribution towards the development of the sport, adding that it
is also an effort to reward loyal clients of the consortium.
GRi…/
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