Government Will Support May 9 Foundation – President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo has assured the founder and executives of the May 9 Foundation that his administration will offer them its “modest support” to ensure that it goes about its activities aimed at supporting the families of the victims of the twenty-year old national disaster as smoothly as possible.
President Akufo-Addo gave this assurance when he received a delegation from the foundation at the Jubilee House today the 10th of May 2021. The meeting was the first of its kind between a sitting President, the foundation and surviving families of the disaster victims throughout its twenty (20) year history.
On the 9th of May 2001, over one hundred and twenty-seven (127) football lovers lost their lives through a stampede at the then Accra Sports Stadium (now Ohene Gyan Sports Stadium), when Police discharged teargas in an attempt to disperse the crowd of football enthusiasts who where protesting poor officiating during a match between rival clubs, Kumasi Ashanti Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak.
“People can never come back but we can remember them. I am intrigued by the idea that the May 9 Foundation is beyond football; that you have embraced the wider social space involving dislocations, and floods. This is a huge undertaking and you need a lot of courage and capacity to be able to carry out that work. You will have the modest support that this administration will be able to give you. I can promise you that,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
“The Minister for Sports is seeing which package we can work out on our side to continue the assistance and sooner rather than later, he will be engaging with you on that,” President Akufo-Addo added.
Herbert Mensah, founder and leader of the May 9 Foundation, who also led the delegation for the courtesy call, in his remarks noted that the foundation is extremely grateful to the President and his administration for the recognition afforded them by the invitation accorded them to the seat of the country’s presidency. He added that the foundation has decided to enlarge its scope of work to offer assistance to Ghanaians who may be affected by other natural disasters other than the May 9 tragedy.
“In twenty years, this is the first time that a sitting President of the republic has recognized what it is that we are doing. In twenty years, Mr President, you are the first President to spend time from a very busy schedule. We understand the affairs of state. We understand the difficulties of being in COVID, the difficulties in trying to resuscitate things in this very difficult time which many people perhaps do not understand, but we do and we appreciate even the few minutes of your time,” Herbert Mensah said.
From Wilberforce Asare