Soccer- Kotoko beat Stallions of Burkina
Faso 3-1 in a friendly international
Boxing-Malik Jabir retains title
Boxing-Odumasi draws with Odametey, but
looses title
Stadium disaster Commission - Conflicting
reports on who ordered teargas firing
Stadium probe-Ghana's preparedness for disasters totally inadequate - Jake
Soccer- Kotoko beat Stallions of Burkina
Faso 3-1 in a friendly international
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 28 May 2001
Kumasi Asante Kotoko beat Stallions of Burkina Faso 3-1 in a friendly international soccer match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Stallions was first to score in the 30th minute through Dagano Moumouni, playing at the centre-forward, and held on to the lead until the 50th minute when Joe Louis equalised for Kotoko after Abedi Sarfo had squandered a chance in the 48th minute.
Substitute Micheal Osei increased the tally for Kotoko in the 62nd minute with a beautiful shot, which beat Diarra Ibrahim in goal for the Stallions.
Speedster Osei was on target again and this time from a goal mouth melee resulting from a corner kick awarded to Kotoko.
When the corner was taken a Burkinabe defender kicked it out but Felix Yeboah of Kotoko, returned the ball into the vital area of the visitors and Osei connected it into the net for the third goal in the 74th minute.
The Stallions made several incursions in the bid to reduce the tally but goalkeeper Louis Quainoo stood the test until class one referee Alhassan Brobbey from Asante-Mampong whistled for the end of the match.
Before the start of the match, a minute's silence was observed for the Accra Sports Stadium disaster victims.
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Boxing-Malik Jabir retains title
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 May 2001
A new boxing rising star, Abdul Malik Jabir, made a successful first defence of his National and West Africa Super Bantamweight title when he registered a sixth round technical knockout over "stubborn" Osumanu Akaba in their scheduled 12 round contest at the Kaneshie Sports Complex in the early hours of Saturday.
Malik who weighed one pound less than his opponent improved to 5-3-2 at the end of their fierce battle, organised by Prince and Baseline International Promotions dubbed, the "Boom-boom night".
Both boxers, opened up very early in the first round, but Malik's stray right hook sent Akaba to the canvas. That early shock ironically brought out the beast in Akaba as he pinned Malik to the ropes with right-left combination.
The trend continued in the second round with occasional in fighting but Malik, cheered on by Bukom fans, stepped up his performance to open a deep cut on the right eyelid of Akaba. Referee S. K. Tetteh had to stop the fight for some few seconds to enable ringside doctors to attend to Akaba.
The injury seemed to infuriate Akaba as he went all out and decked Malik in the fourth round.
Akaba however could not respond to the bell for the seventh round after a fierce exchanges in the sixth round, which deepened his cut.
In the vacant National and West Africa Featherweight championship between Eric Odumase and Ben Odametey, judge Atta Eddie Pappoe scored it 112-116 in favour of Odametey, Confidence Hiagbe scored 115-115 and T. B. Owusu Ansah scored it 115-113 for Odumase; declaring the fight which was clearly dominated by Odumase draw.
In the under cards, James "Hot ice" Toney continued his winning spree when he stopped Ali Mohammed 1:29 second of the second round of their scheduled six round Super Middleweight contest.
Ben Ankrah won a unanimous decision over Badu Akutteh in a six round Super lightweight contest while Osumanu Adama stopped Alarape Akeem 2:25 seconds of the second round of their six-rounder contest of the Super Welterweight bout.
In the Welterweight contest Agoe Ashong strolled past Mohammed Bameyi with a unanimous decision.
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Boxing-Odumasi draws with Odametey, but looses
title
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 May 2001
Eric Odumase worked hard against youthful Ben Odametey in their National and West African featherweight title fight to earn a draw but lost his title to a Ghana Boxing Authority decision for failing to make the stipulated 126 pound weight.
The two boxers lived up to expectation in the top card of a six-bout promotion by Prince and Baseline International Promotions Syndicate at the Kaneshie Sports Complex on Friday night.
Judge Ataa Eddie Pappoe scored the fight 112-116 for Odametey while T. B. Owusu Ansah made it 115-113 for Odumase and Confidence Hiagbe made it even at 115.
By the result Odumase would have kept his title but the GBA ruled otherwise because he had over tipped the scales with one and a half pounds when he weighed in on Thursday.
Oumase opened fire in the first round and confused his opponent with a bobbing stance, which enabled him to thrash Odametey with left jabs and hefty right hooks that forced the challenger to reel backwards to avoid punishment.
Odametey slipped twice in the round and this appeared to have doused his confidence as he looked very ordinary and was indeed vulnerable in defence, but the champion lacked killer instincts to finish him off.
The second round gave wrong signals to the fans who thought the end was near as Odumase pressed forward, jabbing and thundering home some overhead rights and hard left hooks.
By the third round Odametey's confidence began to rise as he traded punches with the champion in the middle of the ring. Odametey fired a stinging right hook to the jaw of Odumase after the bell.
Odametey's resurgence was evident in the fourth round but it was Odumase who kept pressing forward while the challenger jabbed effectively on the retreat.
A stinging right blow to the chin of Odumase let go his gum- shield from his mouth onto the canvas midway through the fifth round.
The fifth and sixth rounds were action packed as the two boxers stood toe to toe, in a neutral corner and bombed each other with left, right combinations to keep the fans on the edges of their seats.
A classic display of power punching and defensive skills of ducking and dodging characterised the seventh as both boxers missed with numerous efforts.
Odametey was in prominence in the eighth round as he forced his opponent to back-pedal and clinch, to slow down the pace of the fight.
The champion however recovered quickly in the ninth and connected four solid rights to the face of the challenger who replied with some feeble jabs.
Odumase cornered Odametey early in the tenth and bombarded him with a couple of right rocks. The challenger fought back, later in the round and punished his adversary with multiple left jabs and straight rights.
The last two round were evenly contested as both boxers tried to out box each other to impress the judges and it served as a fitting climax to a championship fight which produced all the ingredients to merit it.
In another title fight of the night Malik Jabir retained his National and West African super bantamweight belt with a seventh round stoppage of Osumanu Akaba.
Super middleweight sensation James Toney raised his fight record to four knockouts in four fights when he stopped Ali Mohammed in the second while Osumanu Adama also recorded a second round knock out over Alapere Akeem in a super welterweight contest.
Agoe Ashong won a unanimous decision against Mohammed Bameyi in a six round welterweight duel, same as Ben Ankrah who got a unanimous verdict in a super lightweight fight against Badu Akuttey.
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Stadium disaster Commission - Conflicting
reports on who ordered teargas firing
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 May 2001
The controversy over who gave the order for teargas to be fired at the Accra Sports Stadium rages as senior police officers continued to contradict each other, when they appeared before the Presidential Commission probing the disaster on Friday.
Ironically, ASP John Asare Naami, ASP Benjamin Bakamoro, ASP Frank Awoo and
ASP Faakye Kumi, who gave the contradicting evidence are all friends and were course mates at the Police College.
ASP Bakamoro, attached to the Railways Unit, denied an earlier statement by ASP Naami that, he Bakamoro had told Naami upon the latter's enquiry on who ordered the firing of teargas and he Bakamoro had replied that, it was, Chief Superintendent Nana Koranteng Minta.
ASP Bakamoro, who was not on duty on the day of the incident, told the Commission that at the final whistle, he, together with ASP Awoo and ASP Naami rushed to the field and escorted the match officials to their dressing room and it was in that process that he heard some gunshots.
He said upon hearing the shots, ASP Naami exclaimed that his men were armed and quickly rushed out to see them.
ASP Bakamoro added that it was when he came out that he saw plastic seats being thrown from the stands with the police also firing.
He said when he walked briskly to the scene, he observed Naami and Minta were standing close and pointing their hands to the stands, which he said, could be interpreted to mean the police should stop or telling the fans what to do.
ASP Bakamoro also said that it was at the commanders' meeting that Chief
Superintendent Minta openly admitted that he ordered the men to fire.
He said prior to the match, Inspector Ampomah had sought his advice on the security arrangement at the stadium and he, Bakamoro had advised him to request for more men due to the nature of the match.
Mr Christian Abbew, Sports Editor of The Ghanaian Times, was next to appear before the Commission on a news item at the back of the Thursday, May 24 issue of the paper.
Mr Abbew had projected the request by the Commission for a laboratory test to ascertain the quality and durability of the plastic seats as being out of place.
The Chairman of the Commission, Mr Sam Okudzeto reminded him of the terms of reference of the Commission when Mr Abbew said he was not aware of its authority and that it was later that his attention was drawn to it.
Mr Abbew admitted that he acted out of ignorance and promised to retract the story and formally apologise to the Commission when the chairman ordered him to do so.
The next person to appear before the Commission was ASP Kumi of the Police Headquarters Communication Division.
He also admitted that he was not on duty but went to the stadium to watch the match.
ASP Kumi said he joined his colleagues including, Bakamoro, Awoo and Minta and the medical team while ASP Naami joined them later.
ASP Kumi said at the final whistle, he together with Naami, Bakamoro and Awoo were together but could not tell, who rushed to save the officials.
He said ASP Naami rushed to the scene of the firing and ordered the men to stop.
When the Chairman said that the footage showed Naami pointing to the crowd with gunshots following, indicating that the men did not heed the command of the of their superior, ASP Kumi answered that the men acted in disobedience and disciplinary action should be taken against them.
He said he saw CS Minta at the scene of the shooting.
Meanwhile, the ASP Francis Aryee, Chief Inspector Ampomah, Constable Mark Quaw, Amo Oseini and Ebow Quansah are to appear at the Commission on Monday, May 28.
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Stadium probe-Ghana's preparedness for
disasters totally inadequate - Jake
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 May 2001
Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Minister of Presidential Affairs told the Accra Stadium Disaster Commission on Friday that Ghana's preparedness for disasters is totally inadequate.
The minister said the number of casualties on May nine would have reduced considerably if there were a rapid deployment force to evacuate the victims immediately or offered them first aid on the spot.
Led in evidence by Mr Miguel Ribeiro, Counsel to the Commission, Mr Obetsebi Lamptey said the President has consequently ordered that the Armed Forces must be provided with facilities to enable them to respond quickly to disasters.
He said the equipment of the Rapid Response Unit would include helicopters with lights beneath to illuminate disaster areas and ambulances with medics to cater for victims.
Mr Obetsebi Lamptey said, henceforth all cadet corps members would be given adequate training in first aid to enable them to assist in cases of emergency.
The minister told the commission that the government has drawn up a contingency plan on disasters and appointed a new director for the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to implement the plan.
On the Accra Sports Stadium, the minister said he found the exit gates very narrow while the stairwells were very slippery.
Mr Obetsebi Lamptey further told the commissioners that the Accra Sports Stadium was in danger of collapsing as it was constructed on clay, which made the structures rise during the rainy season and sink again during the dry season.
Asked by the GNA after his evidence how he came by the information, the Minister said "I was informed by officials from NADMO and it is alarming."
He said based on his information, the walls of the stadium would crack and the structures would eventually sink or crumble.
Narrating his experiences on the night of May nine, Mr Obetsebi Lamptey said "most of the victims were tangled and it was unfortunate that the greater number of people who were there hindered rescue operation."
"Some of them were good, some were rogues and others were passive. My pocket was ripped and one of my cell phones was stolen."
He said most of the victims were buried under the heap of bodies, which tumbled over them from the higher stairs.
The minister told the commission that there was total indiscipline at the hospitals and it made the work of medical personnel very difficult.
Moved by the minister's narration, Professor Agyemang Badu Akossa, President of the Ghana Medical Association and member of the Commission advised Mr Obetsebi Lamptey to seek medical counselling in order to erase the horrific memory of May nine.
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