Ghana’s two most successful football clubs, Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, have set aside their fierce rivalry to spearhead urgent reforms in domestic football following the tragic death of a Kotoko supporter, Francis Nana Frimpong, popularly known as ‘Nana Pooley’.
The devoted fan lost his life during a chaotic Ghana Premier League clash between Nsoatreman FC and Kotoko at the Nana Kromansah II Park in Twumasikrom, near Nsoatre, sparking renewed concerns over matchday security.
Change agents
With a combined 45 league titles, Kotoko and Hearts have long been the standard-bearers of Ghanaian football. Now, they are leading the charge to ensure that the beautiful game is not only competitive but is also safe for players, officials and fans alike.
In a groundbreaking move to signal a new era of collaboration in the face of intense rivalry, the clubs drafted a joint position paper demanding immediate and far-reaching changes to matchday security protocols.
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With the league currently suspended, top executives from both clubs met with Ghana Football Association (GFA) officials in Accra last Monday, following a formal petition submitted to the governing body.
Discussions centred on raising the league’s operational standards, enhancing security and accelerating efforts towards an autonomous Premier League.
Kotoko and Hearts supported the GFA’s newly revised Matchday Safety and Security Protocols, which introduce stricter crowd control measures, rapid emergency response systems, and thorough security checks at all league venues.
The clubs hailed the substantial increase in security personnel as a "game-changer for protecting players, officials and fans."
In a joint statement yesterday, the clubs underscored their commitment to ensuring full compliance with the updated protocols, while also calling for continuous reviews to strengthen stadium safety.
"These enhanced measures, developed in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, reflect our shared determination to foster a secure, family-friendly atmosphere that upholds the integrity of the league," the statement read.
Autonomous Premier League
In addition to enhancing security, both clubs reiterated their dedication to elevating the operational and ethical standards of the Ghana Premier League, committing to back the GFA’s initiatives, which include more rigorous referee training, infrastructure improvement, and innovative fan engagement strategies aimed at revitalising the domestic game.
Monday’s high-level meeting at the GFA headquarters went beyond immediate safety concerns. It also marked a major milestone in the long-awaited transition towards an anticipated Autonomous Premier League.
Kotoko and Hearts praised the GFA for its leadership in driving the process forward, highlighting key developments such as the formal registration of the league’s corporate entity and the establishment of operational bank accounts by the Implementation Committee.
To ensure stakeholder involvement in shaping the league’s future, each club will appoint a board member to oversee strategic planning and governance.
"We stand ready to work hand in hand with the GFA and our fellow Premier League clubs to ensure a seamless and successful restart of the league," the statement concluded.
This rare collaboration by the two clubs represents a determined bid to turn the tragedy into lasting reform that transforms matchday experiences, restores confidence in stadium safety, and ushers in a new era for the Premier League.
