CAF safe stadium workshop ends in Accra, calls for stronger matchday security
The three-day CAF Safe Stadium Initiative workshop has ended in Accra, with participants pledging to strengthen safety and security at football matches across the country and the continent.
The programme, which opened on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), was part of a continent-wide effort to standardise safety measures and prevent stadium-related tragedies. It brought together Safety and Security Officers from all 18 Premier League clubs, members of the GFA Security Committee and 16 Regional Sports Police Officers.
Participants underwent intensive training on CAF Safety and Security Regulations, accreditation and access control, crowd management techniques, and pre-, during- and post-match security protocols. The training was led by CAF security experts Xololi Nokithula Vilakati from Eswatini and Sylvanus Obi from Nigeria.
Key football officials and security stakeholders attended the closing session, including Executive Council member Eugene Noel Noble, GFA General Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo (Esq.), COP Lydia Donkor, Director General of the Police CID and Chairperson of the GFA Safety and Security Committee, and John Ansah, Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) who also serves as the National Safety and Security Officer.
Also present were Simon Ehomah, Chairman of the Western Regional Football Association, Kennedy Boakye Ansah, CEO of Nations FC, Delali Anku-Adiamah, Managing Director of Accra Hearts of Oak, Samuel Kwagyir, Head of Communications for Bibiani Gold Stars, and Stephen Botchway, Senior Administrator of Heart of Lions.
Certificates were presented to all participants at the end of the workshop, which reinforced CAF’s call for football to be delivered in a secure environment at both domestic and continental levels.
With football’s popularity surging across Africa, CAF has stressed the importance of building trust among fans, ensuring their safety at stadiums, and embedding a culture of professionalism in matchday security management.
