West African nation in mourning following soccer disaster

Ghanaian President John Kufuor declared three days of mourning on Thursday following the death of about 130 persons at a football match, and set up a committee of enquiry into the tragedy, Africa’s worst soccer disaster.

In an address to the nation on Thursday night, Kufuor said flags would fly at half mast until Sunday, when the end of the mourning period would be marked by an inter-denominational service. He also announced the setting up of a committee to arrange the funerals of the victims of the tragedy, which occurred at the Accra Sports Stadium. The government, he said, would pay for medical care for the wounded.

Accra’s four main medical institutions, the Military, Ridge, Korle-Bu and Police hospitals, worked around the clock to take care of the wounded, with private doctors and health workers volunteering the services.

The tragedy occurred on Wednesday at the end of a match between Ghana’s top football clubs, Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak. Police fired teargas into the crowd after fans started throwing plastic seats around. Spectators rushed to the exits, but they were locked.

The police have launched an internal inquiry and suspended the commander of the unit that was on duty at the stadium, and whose handling of the situation has been widely criticised. “The police obviously overreacted,” Hearts of Oak Chairman Harry Zakour said. “They need more training.” About 100 to 120 youths from Accra’s Kotobabi neighbourhood and surrounding areas stoned the Kotobabi police station on Thursday afternoon, prompting the policemen to fire warning shots and call for reinforcements.

Kufuor appealed for calm during his nationwide address, which was preceded earlier on Thursday by an emergency cabinet meeting. “I am aware of the anger so many of you feel about the conduct of some policemen at the stadium last night,” he said. “The police authorities have already taken action to interdict the six officers who were in charge of the police contingent pending the outcome of decisions by the committee.

“I fully endorse that action,” he added, “I can assure you that anyone found guilty of wilfull excess or misconduct will face the full rigour of the law. I am therefore appealing to all to show restraint and calm.
“The eyes of the world are on us,” he said, calling on Ghanaians to “show the world that we are a dignified people”.