GFA halts Ghana Premier League following fan death in Nsoatre

• Posted on February 3, 2025February 3, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has put on hold all games in the Ghana Premier League following the incident of violence at Nsoatre over the week.

The act of violence led to the death of one Asante Kotoko fan as Nsoatreman hosted the Porcupine Warriors on matchday 19 of the league.

Following the incident, the Ghana FA has decided to postpone the next round of league matches (Matchday 20).

According to the FA, the “move is aimed at creating space for the GFA to engage with relevant stakeholders and discuss the ramifications of the violence.”

The action taken “will allow the GFA to assess the situation, consult with stakeholders, and develop strategies to prevent such incidents in the future.”

“The GFA has been working to improve the overall football experience in Ghana and is keen to ensure that this incident is dealt with swiftly and decisively to send the signal that such acts have no place in Ghana Football.”

The deceased, identified as Francis Frimpong, popularly known as Pooley, was believed to be a passionate supporter of Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

An eyewitness, who was at the VIP section of the stadium, claimed he was seated close to former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, when the brawl began.

“I was seated right below Hon. Baffour Awuah, who is the owner of the club, when the fight started on the pitch,” he said in Twi.

“Kwasi Appiah [Head of Asante Kotoko’s Technical Directorate] was seated to his right. So when the fight broke out, he went downstairs to try and calm the situation.

“When he got there, he signalled for Kwasi Appiah to join him, but some of the Kotoko leadership advised Appiah not to, warning that the situation was too volatile and he could be attacked, so Appiah stayed back,” he narrated.

According to the eyewitness, this angered Baffour Awuah.

“He got upset that Appiah ignored him and, out of frustration, signalled the supporters to continue what they were doing. He incited the fans. On his way back to his seat, Pooley approached him.”

Sources claim Appiah was pelted with water and he eventually left the stadium.

But just when they thought peace had been restored, things took a tragic turn.