Ghana Sports Minister calls for club accountability on hooliganism

Ghanaian Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has called for increased accountability from football club leadership to combat hooliganism and improve the matchday experience. Speaking at the Ghana Football Association’s 32nd Ordinary Congress, Adams emphasized that addressing violence is essential to bringing supporters back to stadiums. He noted that responsibility for violence should not fall solely on supporters, citing instances where club officials and associates have attacked referees or contributed to confrontations.

Adams referenced a February 2025 tragedy in Nsoatre, where Asante Kotoko supporter Francis Nana Yaw Frimpong died, as a critical warning for the sport. While acknowledging the GFA’s implementation of sanctions and enhanced security, he stressed that prevention must begin with club leadership.

Additionally, the Minister expressed concern regarding the lack of publicity and star power within the upcoming Ghana Premier League season. He criticized the inability of clubs to utilize modern media platforms to market players and build the personalities necessary to attract fans, comparing the current lack of visibility to the era of prominent league figures like Charles Taylor and Ishmael Addo.