Committee inaugurated to investigate Ghana-Lesotho match black-out

A five-member committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the stadium floodlights blackout during the World Cup qualifying match between Ghana’s Black Stars and the Crocodiles of Lesotho at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Friday, June 1, has been inaugurated in Kumasi.

Mr Alex Daary, Ashanti Regional Director of the Bureau for National Investigations (BNI) chair’s the Committee.

Regional Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) Philip Aheng-Mensah,  Mr Emmanuel Anto, an Electrical Engineer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Mr Opoku Anto, an Electrical Engineer with the Public Works Department (PWD) and Mr Douglas Annorful, of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) are the other members of the Committee.

Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister who performed the inauguration of the Committee, said the members are to investigate and unravel the actual cause for the blackout during the match at the stadium.

The Committee will additionally determine what led to the malfunctioning of the generator that powers the floodlights at the Stadium.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah said the Committee is expected to make recommendations as to how to forestall any future such occurrence.

The Committee has one-week to submit its report.

Mr Daary pledged that they would work hard and with dedication to complete the job within schedule.

Ghana’s match against Lesotho was nearly marred as the floodlights went out barely 54 minutes into the game. The Stars were at the time comfortably leading their opponents with 4-0 scoreline.

The incident forced the match officials to bring the match to a temporal halt to allow technicians to fix the problem. Power was restored after about almost an hour.

The Stars eventually won the match by 7-0 to record their biggest win ever in a World Cup qualifier or match.

Source: GNA