Kotoko supporters react to White Paper on Stadium disaster

Kumasi, April 7, GNA - Supporters of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club have expressed mixed reactions to the five year ban imposed on the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Club, Mr Sylvester Asare-Owusu, by a government White Paper issued in support of recommendations by the Philip John Bebli Committee.

In addition to the ban it has been recommended that the CEO be charged and prosecuted for stealing an amount of 820 Ghana Cedis which he collected from fans who gained illegal entry into the Stadium. Whilst a section of the supporters insisted that the punishment meted out to Mr Asare-Owusu was too harsh, others praised the Committee for doing due diligence to the duty assigned it.

"For me these developments are a step in the right direction in view of the persistent corrupt practices by some club officials in the country", Nana Kwame Gyimah, a resident of Ayeduase told the GNA Sports in Kumasi on Tuesday. Prince Ernest Oduro-Mensah, CEO of the National Sports Council has also been dismissed by the government following the recommendations of the Committee.

Nana Gyimah could not come to terms as to why a whole CEO should involve himself in the collection of gate proceeds when that particular duty had been mandated to certain authorities to do so.

The Kotoko supporter said it is his hope that the punishment would go a long way to bring sanity into football administration in the country. Grace Ade Ishola, a National Service personnel described the recommendations as astonishing, saying the issue should further be looked at in view of the prevailing evidence that the CEO arrived at the Stadium at 2'Oclock when the Stadium was almost full.

She suggested a review of the punishment meted out to the Kotoko CEO in particular in view of the crucial role he has played in the development of football in the country.

Kofi Owusu, a tailor said with the sanctions future competitive matches would be critically looked at in respect of organization, security and spectators attendance.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Muhammed Muntaka Mubarak, Minister of Youth and Sports has insisted that the Report was genuine and would serve as a deterrent to prospective offenders.

He said it was out of place for any supporter to read meaning into the recommendations and the White Paper since it had nothing to do with politics.

Alhaji Mubarak indicated that the Committee exhausted all their responsibilities well and that all those involved were duly invited and investigated before coming out with the recommendations.