The 24th anniversary of the tragic May 9 Stadium Disaster was solemnly observed at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, May 9, 2025, as families of the victims, football officials, and government representatives gathered to honour the memory of the 127 fans who lost their lives in Ghana’s worst sporting tragedy.
The disaster occurred on May 9, 2001, during a heated Ghana Premier League fixture between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
What began as crowd unrest escalated into tragedy when police fired tear gas to control the situation, triggering a deadly stampede. A total of 127 fans lost their lives, with many more sustaining injuries in what remains the worst sporting disaster in Ghanaian history.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams, reiterated the government’s commitment to prioritising safety at all sporting venues. He assured stakeholders of continuous collaboration to avoid a repeat of the catastrophe.
GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, who addressed the gathering on behalf of the football community, described the event as “a harrowing moment” in the nation’s sporting timeline.
“The best way to honour those we lost is to ensure that it never happens again,” he said. “Through enhanced infrastructure, robust regulations, and our renewed focus on fan safety, we are working hard to prevent a repeat of this tragic event,” he said.
He also pointed to the Enhanced Safety and Security Protocols introduced by the Ghana Football Association and commended the growing investment in sports infrastructure across the country.
Okraku further used the occasion to acknowledge the recent death of Asante Kotoko supporter, Pooley, during an incident in Nsoatre, calling on law enforcement to step up investigations and bring the culprits to book.
The event brought together a wide array of personalities, including Executive Council Members Samuel Aboabire and Gideon Fosu, GHALCA Chairman John Ansah, GFA Chief of Staff Michael Osekere, Chief Finance Officer Collins Dei, and National Juvenile Committee Vice Chairman JoeSalam Abubakar.
Also present was Black Stars assistant coach John Paintsil.
Representatives of Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, the two clubs directly involved in the 2001 tragedy, were also in attendance.
Hearts of Oak’s team included Managing Director Delali Adiamah, former Chairman Harry Zakour, and Alhaji Braimah Akambi, while Asante Kotoko was represented by Marketing Manager Charles Kwaku Hammond and National Supporters Leader Seth Nii Darko.
Others present were Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Director-General of the National Sports Authority, his deputies, members of the Ghana Supporters Union, and families of the victims.
The ceremony concluded with interfaith prayers and the laying of wreaths at the May 9 Monument in memory of the departed. Wreaths were laid by the Sports Minister, GFA President, former Hearts of Oak chairman, Asante Kotoko’s marketing chief, and the NSA Director-General.
Watch the video of the 24th anniversary of the May 9 disaster below:
FKA/MA
