Kotoko yet to compensate players after fatal accident as former goalie Amoako cries out

Former Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Isaac Amoako, has revealed that the playing body and staff involved in their 2017 road accident are yet to receive any compensation from the club, almost three years after the accident occurred.

The playing body and other staff of the club on July 12, 2017 after a 1-0 defeat to Inter Allies in Accra in a matchday-22 clash, ran into a stationary truck at Nkawkaw, whilst returning to their Kumasi base.

The accident claimed the life of Kotoko’s equipment Officer, Thomas Obeng Asare, and led to various injuries sustained by players including Baba Mahama, Ahmed Adams, Ollenu Ashitey, Michael Akuffo as well as head coach at the time – Steve Pollack.

Speaking on BA TV’s morning show Anopa Busuo Sports, Amoako – who is the spokesman for the accident victims, expressed his disappointment in the Kotoko leadership for failing to honour their promise of financially compensating the victims of the incident after several appeals since 2017.

“Sunday, July 14, 2020 will mark three years since the horrific incident happened and we are yet to receive a penny from Kotoko or receive a concrete promise as to when our compensations would be paid,” said Amoako.

He disclosed that during the time, they were promised that all the donations and gifts collected on their behalf would be placed into a fund and eventually disbursed to the team. That promise, he asserted, was yet to be fulfilled.

Amoako who spent 11 years at the club after joining the Porcupine Warriors from Ashantigold in 2006, stated that the negligence by the Kotoko leadership to pay their compensations struck home painfully as they were involved in the accident in the line of their professional duty.

“The refusal of the Kotoko leadership to pay our monies has placed a heavy toll on most of the players and staff members involved.

“We were expecting that since we had the accident in the performance of our professional duty, we would be approached and be compensated together with our families but none of that has happened.

“Longest-serving team driver Nana Berchie has been at home since the accident, whilst players such as Baba Mahama and Ollenu Ashitey have had their playing careers stymied.”

According to Amoako, they appeared before the recent three-member committee led by Prof Lydia Nkansah that held deliberations to address pertinent challenges affecting the club with the committee promising to forward their grievances to the appropriate authorities.

He said they were aware that the newly-constituted board led by previous board chairman, Dr Kwame Kyei – who held that position at the time of the accident, had began paying off several debts incurred by the club.

Based on that, he expressed a glimmer of hope that they might be factored in.

He, however, added that despite petitioning the new board about their plight, they were yet to receive an official response or invitation to discuss their situation.

With Sunday, July 14 marking exactly three years since the tragic incident occurred, Amoako said, they would let their voices go out to draw attention to their plight which has not been attended all this while.