The Ghana Football Association (GFA) Club License Board’s insistence on an inner perimeter at the newly constructed TNA Stadium before granting approval has sparked questions. This demand raises concerns, especially considering that several league venues with “war zone” inner perimeters still record incidents of hooliganism. Clearly, these barriers are not a solution to the persistent issue of violence against match officials, players, and team staff.
The problem lies not in the lack of inner perimeters but in our collective failure to properly educate fans on acceptable behavior during matches. The comparison with stadia used for the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire is particularly striking. Despite those facilities lacking inner perimeters as demanded by the GFA, they were still approved by CAF and successfully hosted international matches.
Closer to home, the Cape Coast Stadium, which has hosted several Black Stars games, does not have an inner perimeter, yet it remains a go-to venue for crucial fixtures. Medeama SC, who are set to use the TNA Stadium, have no history of hooliganism at their previous grounds—whether at the old TNA Park or Akoon Park. This makes the CLB’s demand for an inner perimeter at their new stadium questionable.
Rather than focusing on inner perimeters as the primary solution, it’s high time the GFA rethinks its approach and directs its energy towards educating fans and addressing the root causes of hooliganism in Ghanaian football.
By:Joel Boadi Surprising