Two more footballers die in River Offin tragedy

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Two more deaths have been recorded in an accident involving young players of a colts club at Offinso in the Ashanti Region.

The two casualties were on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital but died on Sunday afternoon, Dailymailgh.com can report.

This brings the death toll to eight as health officials race to treat other victims who have been admitted at separate hospitals at Naming and Offinso.

Four others are still in critical condition at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.

“The victims who sustained minor injuries have been discharged from the St. Patrick’s and Namong SDA Hospitals”, a statement from the Ashanti Regional Football Association sighted by Dailymailgh.com read.

Nuru Mohammed, a Football Coordinator in the Offinso South Municipality told Dailymailgh.com that three of the deceased have been buried.

“So, for now, we are planning with the bereaved families for a mass burial for the others on Saturday,” said Nuru Mohammed adding that: “A delegation will visit the Offinso Traditional Council to inform the Paramount Chief over the development”.

GFA suspends Colts Club screening exercise

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has suspended its ongoing Colts football registration exercise in the Ashanti Region.

This was disclosed by the nation’s football governing body on Sunday.

The suspension which takes immediate effect is in response to an accident that claimed the lives of six young children on Saturday, September 19, 2020.

The victims were budding footballers who were returning from a registration exercise at Afrancho when a vehicle they were traveling in plunged into the River Offin.

Four of the victims are in critical condition and are receiving treatment at the emergency unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

So far 10 of the victims who were admitted at separate hospitals at Namong and Offinso have been treated and discharged, officials told Dailymailgh.com

Five out of six of the victims have so far been identified by their relatives, officials added.

GFA delegation visits victims

Officials of the Ghana Football Association, as well as relatives of the victims, were at the various health facilities to check on them. The team’s visit was to get first-hand information about the incident and also commiserate with the grief-stricken family.

An Executive Member of the GFA Frederick Acheampong, who led the delegation described the incident as a terrible loss.

“The programme is suspended now because they were undergoing the screening on a district basis..But because of what has happened, we’ve spoken to the Regional Football Association executives and they have suspended the exercise”, said Acheampong during an interview with Dailymailgh.com.

“We have visited the families and commiserated with them and so from here we will provide a detailed report to the Ghana Football Association for the next line of action”, he added.

Source: Daily Mail GH