Deputy Ranking Member of Ghana’s Parliamentary Sports Committee, Michael Kwasi Aidoo, has called on the security services to do more to stop rising clashes among students at sports events.
In recent weeks, several inter-school sports competitions have been disrupted by violence. At the Eastern Regional Inter Schools Sports Festival, a student of Koforidua Senior High Technical School was injured during a clash. In Kumasi, unrest at the Baba Yara Stadium during the Ashanti Regional Inter Schools Soccer Competition saw angry students damage 3,955 seats.
Speaking in an interview with Citi Sports, Hon. Aidoo, who is also the Member of Parliament for Oforikrom, described the situation as worrying.
“I think it’s quite unfortunate what happened in the Kumasi Sports Stadium (Baba Yara Stadium),” he said.
He stressed that security agencies must better understand school rivalries before events take place.
“I think the security services have to put their feet on the ground, understand the schools, where their rivalries lie, the history behind the rivalry and so on.”
Mr Aidoo added that proper planning and coordination could prevent future incidents.
“When there is a sports program, the security services are to beef security, the National Sports Authority, the Education Service in charge of the sports directorate, the headmasters, they have to meet the security services, brief them so that they understand, then they can manage the students as and when they come to the stadium.”
By: Pascal Amoah
