Top officials of the Ghana Police Service last Friday called on the leadership of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), at the Headquarters in Accra.
COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, Director General (Welfare) at the Police Headquarters in Accra, led the high-powered delegation the GFA leadership as part of efforts to deepen the long-standing relationship between the two entities.
With her were DSP Derrick Boateng – Director of Sports with the Ghana Police Service, ASP Lydia Donkor, Director, Legal and Prosecution for the Great Accra Region and as well Chairperson of the various Sports Units within the Police Service.
Others included Detective Chief Inspector Ansah Asomani, Team Manager, Police ladies, Sargent Kabasogo Kassim, Assistant Coach, Police ladies, Sargent Hannah Nunoo, Assistant Team Manager, Police Ladies, Sargent Veronica Ashitey, Welfare Officer, Police Ladies and Staff Officer to the Director-General, ASP, Emmanuel Apoka.
The visit is a follow-up on an earlier call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Buanuh by GFA President, Kurt E.S Okraku, in March 2020.
COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah expressed that the visit is to strengthen the existing relationship with the GFA and also assured that the Police Service is available to provide any technical support needed by the football industry.
“We have come here today to strengthen the relationship with the Ghana Football Association.
“The IGP is considering, in fact, he has referred the fact that we should hand the Sports Policing idea to a team to look at the modalities, look at what is happening elsewhere so that we can fine-tune it to suit our own situation.
“Then talking about the Depot Park, in fact, before you even visited, our Sports Director had submitted a proposal to the previous administration which was under consideration. It has been reactivated and some quantities have been submitted and forwarded to the IGP for consideration. When we have that, not only will the Police benefit but others like how the pitch has produced other national stars. They submitted them in four phases, the first, second, third and fourth. The fourth phase, when we are able to put together, will be better than the Accra Stadium,” she stated.
COP Addo-Danquah continued: “Coming here today, we are here to assure you that we are always available in terms of the general policing for the Sports industry and also our part, the Sporting disciplines that we have, we will continue to train our officers and in doing so, if there is any technical support that you can also offer to the various sporting disciplines that we have, it will be greatly appreciated.
“Let me also use this opportunity to assure you that the IGP, like we responded in our letter, has requested the full report of the incident and with time, Ghanaians will know the outcome of the investigation.”
President Okraku, on behalf of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), expressed his appreciation for the visit.
“I am extremely happy to see the entire team visiting us. The Football Association, over the years, has been working very, very closely with the Police service and to give a further push to our already established relationship, I paid a visit to the IGP where he warmly welcomed us, beyond which we have had a very, very good, and perhaps much better relationship
“We do appreciate the massive contribution by the Police Service to sports in general and most importantly to football.
“You have set up the Police female team which has been one of my most-watched teams at the McDan Park. Beyond you having sporting teams, you also Police our sport for us.
“Yesterday, I chanced on data I want to share. The football industry and football clubs take care of 70,800 kids a year. This is the strength of the football industry and I am talking about only footballers. I am not talking about the administrators.
“It is a massive industry that needs the support of everybody, central government, government agencies like your good selves. So, we are extremely happy.
“I think the love that you have shown to us is beyond our imagination and we have to return it in a special way. I don’t know what kind of way we will return it but we will. We are happy and very much looking forward to working with you.”
Present at the meeting were GFA General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo (Esq), Executive Council member, Nana Sarfo Oduro, Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Football Association, Samuel Aboabire, Referees Manager Alex Kotey, Head of the Competition Department, Sena Akoto-Ampaw and Director of Communications Henry Asante Twum. GHALCA Chairman, Kudjo Fianoo was alsopresent.
The Police Service is a major stakeholder of the GFA. They have one of the top female football clubs which competes in the Ghana Women’s Premier League. The Police Service also provide other services to the GFA.
