Memorial held for victims of May 9 stadium tragedy
A memorial service has been held at the Accra Sports Stadium in honour of the 127 football fans who lost their lives 16 years ago in the aftermath of a football match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
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The lives were lost after Hearts scored two late goals to pip their bitter rivals Kotoko 2-1 in a Ghana Premier League mid-week tie on May 9, 2001.
The loss led to disappointed Kotoko fans throwing plastic seats and bottles onto the pitch.
The response to the crowd disturbance by the police was to fire tear gas into the crowd, resulting in a stampede which led to the deaths from compressive asphyxia of 127 people.
The departed were remembered with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Accra Sports Stadium after prayers were said for their souls.
In attendance at the ceremony was the Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah and his deputy, Pius Hadzide, the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Robert Sarfo Mensah, members of the various supporters groups as well as the staff of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and NSA.
The memorial was preceded by a brief gathering at the RLG Hathiramani Sports Hall which was addressed by Mr Asiamah, Mr Mensah and Dr Prince Pamboe.
The May 9 memorial statue at the Accra Sports Stadium forecourt
