Ghana Premier League legend, Charles Taylor, has questioned the moral temerity of Parliament to comment on issues of hooliganism in the country, positing that the house of lawmakers has not covered itself in glory when it comes to issues of chaos and violence.
The issue of hooliganism in the Ghana Premier League took centre stage on the floor of Parliament on February 19, 2025.
Contributing to the discussion, Sammi Awuku, who is the Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, proposed a law that bars drinking spots from being sited close to match venues in the country.
His reason was that football fans tend to take some alcoholic drinks, and that affects their behaviour at the stadiums.
“One of the issues that concerns me is the location of drinking spots near our stadiums. Fans are not allowed to bring alcohol into the stadium, but many consume it heavily before entering. When tensions rise during a game, their judgment is impaired, leading to potential misconduct,” Awuku noted.
His proposal has been rejected by Charles Taylor, who holds that the issue of hooliganism is deeper than the location of drinking spots close to game venues.
He surmised that the entitlement of home fans to victory and the conduct of referees are more pressing than the issue of drinking spots having proximity to match venues.
“Then he should be prepared to host them in his house. When he came into power, he didn’t create any jobs for anyone but wanted some jobs to close down because some are taking alcohol. There are certain things you don’t say because it is not possible.
“He is an MP, what has been the impact of MPs on the welfare of Ghanaians? The fight in Parliament was even worse than what we witnessed at Nsoatreman. The fights and irrelevant discussions they engage in Parliament are worse than what we see in football. If we are going by his logic, then we should ban the sale of petroleum because you will need fuel to drive to the stadium,” he said.
The discussions were triggered by the murder of Asante Kotoko fan, Francis Frimpong alias Pooley, during a game between Nsoatreman FC and Asante Kotoko on February 2, 2025.
So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the murder. However, the main suspect who is accused of stabbing Pooley is still at large.
Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians tell Dede Ayew to retire from Black Stars to protect his legacy
EK
