Mediation Committee ensures peace at last

Accra, Feb 28, GNA - The impasse between the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) and Kumasi Asante Kotoko has finally come to an end after a meeting with the Mediation Committee have managed to resolve their differences and called on the two parties to put the past behind them. The successful end of the fracas is as a result of the intervention of a five-man Mediation Committee made up of Mr Justice A.K.B. Ampiah, a retired Supreme Court Judge and President of Congress of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Samuel Brew-Butler, former Chairman of GFA and GHALCA, Kwesi Antwi-Gyamfi, also a former Chairman of GHALCA, Alhaji M.N.D. Jawula, former Chairman of GFA and a Chief Director of the Ministry of habours and Railways and Dr. (Col.) Samuel Brew-Greaves also a former Chairman of the GFA.

The Mediation Committee in a Communique at the end of their tripartite meeting with officials of GHALCA, represented by Messrs J.Y. Appiah, Kwesi Nyatakyi and Kudjoe Fianoo and Kotoko represented by Paul Victor Obeng, Board Chairman, Major Yaw Larson, Chief Executive Officer, Kwame A. Boafo and Kennedy Adjapong, it was agreed that GHALCA should normalise its relations with Kotoko. The Communiqu=E9 signed by the representatives of the three parties copied to the GNA Sports said GHALCA is to hold a consultative meeting with all the Premier League clubs to discuss the lifting of the ban and the reversal of GHALCA's decision on Kotoko in the awake of the recent impasse.

It would be recalled that GHALCA led 14 Premier League Clubs to cut all relationship with Kotoko after the Kumasi club had walked out of the just ended Coca Cola Top Four Tournament. Following this, all the 14 Premier League Clubs with the exception of BA United and Real Tamale United (RTU) decided to boycott all friendly as well as competitive matches with Kotoko. In the Communiqu=E9, GHALCA also agreed to waive its demand on Kotoko to return the tournament's jerseys and the refund of the 50 million cedis, which was given to them as part of preparations towards the tournament. On the other hand, Kotoko reiterated its apology to the entire football public, the participating clubs, organisers and sponsors of the competition for the unfortunate abandonment of the tournament. The club also apologised to the National Sports Council (NSC) for the seats destroyed by irate fans of Kotoko and described the events during and after as unfortunate and regrettable.

Kotoko again condemned the behaviour of their fans who caused damage to some seats at May 9, Stand of the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium and accepted full responsibility for the cost of the broken chairs. The Club, however, expressed reservations about the mode of costing by the Nations Sports Council, (NSC) adding that they shall jointly verify and certify the actual number of seats destroyed by fans and arrive at the actual cost to be billed Kotoko for settlements. According to the Communiqu=E9 both parties agreed to implement the finer points of the agreement reached and would be worked out in the name of mutual cooperation.