Minister for Youth and Sports, Kofi Adams, has called for stiffer penalties against individuals who breach the law and incite violence at football stadiums across the country.
His comments come in the wake of violent scenes that disrupted a Matchday 33 fixture of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League between Basake Holy Stars and Nations FC.
The game was abruptly halted after Nations FC players and officials stormed the pitch in protest of a second penalty awarded to the home side.
The protest escalated into chaos, ultimately forcing Nations FC to abandon the match.
In a disturbing turn of events, the club’s owner, Dr. Kwame Kyei, and its president, Divine Kyei, were reportedly assaulted during the commotion.
Speaking to Sporty FM, Minister Adams stressed the need for accountability and swift disciplinary action, regardless of the individuals’ social or political standing.
“People must be punished when they are found to be doing something wrong, irrespective of their status in the country or their political affiliation,” he said.
“We must have the tenacity to punish people when they do wrong. That is the only way, as a country that loves football, we have to go, and we will benefit from it.”
He warned that if such violent incidents persist, they could drive supporters away from the domestic league in favour of foreign competitions.
“If we allow such things to continue, 90 per cent of the football-loving fans will focus on the foreign leagues rather than your own league,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed it has launched a formal investigation into the incident.