Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, … is an excerpt from a hymn I sang with my silky melodious voice over a million times while a student at Prempeh College for five years.
To this day, it springs to mind intermittently, occasioned by a tragedy or allied company. One such tragedy is the mainspring of this article, trying to find a way to rescue the perishing and care for the dying.
The untimely death of 21-year-old Referee Kwame Andoh-Kyei occurred on March 7, 2014 following an assault on his life on March 2, 2014 by hooligans at the Bordie Park in a Division One match between Gold Stars and Naa Joe United.
That tragedy has sparked anguish among ardent followers of the sport, drawn the ire of right-thiking members of the public, apathy from radical fanatics and lip-service from rogue soccer administrators.
Referees in Ghana, especially in the lower rungs of Ghana football, are an endangered species, gradually being turned into punching-bags by fanatics with little restraint in the absence of zero education by their clubs, whose executives have sometimes been accused of inciting their fans, wittingly or unwittingly.
In the absence of stiff deterrent, some club executives and coaches have been accused of confronting referees to challenge their decisions, protest vehemently on or off the field, sparking outrage in the stands by bellicose fans who inflict pain on hapless match officials, with little protection.
In the 21st century in Ghana, the fact that the nature of this violence happens on our fields, dating back many years, is a direct indictment on our administrators and our leadership.
Barbaric and Unenlightened?, Is that the identity of all Ghanaian football fans? I beg to differ. Yet, in the face of glaring breaches of civility in a nation hit with a plight of seemingly endless lawlessness, apathy and zero accountability, it is hard to quarrel with that shameful categorisation of some football fans.
Since the passing of referee Andoh, I have not heard any executive of any of the clubs involved make any statement condemning the criminal act, distancing themselves from activities of the misguided culprits or offering any relief to the aggrieved family.
Likewise, I have not heard the Ghana Football Association (GFA) take responsibility for the tragedy, given the inadequate security cited by the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) whose leadership has instructed its members to boycott matches in the lower divisions in the Western Region.
Searching for answers, I tried to book an interview with the GFA communications capo, Ibrahim Sannie Daara. Instead of landing an interview, I got the ‘arm’s length’ treatment. Somebody picked up his phone and asked me to call back in 10 minutes after I identified myself. When I called back, I was informed he was still busy and requested to call back in an hour. Again, when I called back an hour later, I could not reach him. That time, though, the phone rang umpteen times without response. I got the message.
I called and texted Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, brother of the Sports Minister doubling as his aide. Similar response. He did not respond, just like, Ibrahim Sannie Daara.
Their reprehensible conduct, impeding the work of a journalist carrying out research into a matter of great public interest, is a poor reflection of their quality or lack thereof. Also, it is a sharp reminder for an overhaul in the criteria for appointment of officials, if indeed, Ghana wants to progress with professionalism, transparency and accountability as a matter of honour.
Definitely, there is a conflict of interest that sets a bad precedent, giving rise to the errant behaviour of denying certain sections of the media access to public officials who enjoy perks of office ensured by the tax payer’s hard work.
Worse still, it conveys a message of invincibility and immunity, sparking the kind of conduct described in the preceding paragraphs. That falls squarely on the lap of Mr Sports Minister: You are out of line with your ‘Kokofu football’ and nepotism, in the administration of sports in the country.
At any rate, while I was searching for answers, thankfully, Alex Quartey, National Chairman of the RAG, offered some insight during an interview with an Accra-based radio station I monitored last week.
Quartey described the late ref Andoh as one of the most promising officials, highly respected by his peers. What a loss! What heights he could have reached ! The sky!
As part of RAG’s response, Quartey has promised the strike action would continue in the absence of the conclusion of “proper investigation”, and institution of “efficient measures” by that region’s football association.
In the event of deliberate delay, Quartey has promised that other regional referees would be advised to lay down their tools until further notice.
While listening to Quartey, I heard a number of things I cannot yet substantiate. He charged that there is frequent incidence of suspects being released even before justice gets a chance to take its course. Factors contributing to this state, he said, included complications stemming from delays in communicating facts of the case to the police.
He prescribed education for club managers and executives (under pain of stiff penalty), more tangible support, more meaningful budget and logistics, for the police and fast and efficient communication with the police in order to assist that force in the execution of their work.
Some have accused referees of being inefficient. To that Quartey responds that to err is human. Even in the event of a referee’s mistake a la players missing penalties, he asserts that no one has the mandate to take the law into their hands and assault the official, as though they (the assailants) were above the law.
Others have accused referees of taking bribes. Question: who is/are offering the bribes? Does anybody know? Due diligence will take care of that problem, if it exists. If it does, what is the antidote? Does the FA have the power and the will to execute the antidote?
In promising to do everything to make it right, for the deceased, the GFA only promised to bear part of the deceased’s funeral expenses. That is another instance of lip-service. It does not cut the mustard. The GFA has the resources to do better than bearing part of the expenses. Why not bear the full expense, plus a meaningful donation? Just consider the kind of goodwill the FA would generate. At the very least, think about it and do something honourable.
I submit that honour is an endangered virtue. Honour is perishing, fast-fading among the rank and file of some public officials. Who holds who accountable? As a society, should we not hold each other accountable? Who has oversight? Anyone seen order, the first law of the universe , lately? What about honour, the salt that preserves society? Anyone seen honour, lately?
In order to progress, we need them in our lives.
Humbly, I ask, what kind of sports journalists and broadcasters is Ghana breeding? Those that would only discuss stories and topics of interests to them, in solidarity with the personal interests of club and public officials or crusaders of the truth, abiding faithfully by the ideals and ethics of the profession on behalf of the general public? Whatever happened to diligence and commitment to the cause of order and honour? That is a crucial matter.
I hope the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), various associations of broadcasters, the National Media Commission (NMC) and allied bodies would commit more energy and resources to espouse the great cause of restoring order and honour to our noble profession.
Together, we can do it. Let us help rescue referees perishing at the hands of hooligans, thanks to apathetic public officials. Let us rescue honour from suffering continued indignity in the absence of continued, stringent gate-keeping of sports journalism in the country.
Also, let us care for other casualties of hooliganism and crowd trouble left behind after the loss of their son/daughter, husband/wife, father/mother, brother/sister and child of the community.
What is the worth of a referee’s life, in Ghana? How much life insurance is guaranteed referees in their line of work?
How much reparation would the family, especially if a wife and children are involved, benefit? Would it be enough to take care of the children’s education, all the way to university, so they would become assets for not liabilities to Mother Ghana?
I propose the Referee Andoh Act to honour the memory of the departed match official and in honour of the dangerous work being performed by our courageous match officials who take centre-stage weekly, inspite of scant remuneration, in the face of bodily harm and probable death. Referees, I salute all of you, inspite of all your challenges.
I call on all right-thinking members of our society to join hands to strive to change the culture of apathy and zero accountability in our various regions, while violence takes such a toll on various families and entire communities across our beloved country.
Impossible is nothing compared to our will to do the possible. It is possible, compatriots. Let us all join hands and rescue the perishing and care for the dying.
Graphic Sports
