Death, suspension, dismissals, & sacrifice: 2024/25 Ghana Premier League in retrospect

At this juncture, it’s become a cliché of some sort for Ghana’s domestic league to be plagued by controversy every season.

The just-ended Ghana Premier League campaign was not short of this spice. Unfortunately, the drama got out of control leading to the barbaric act of hooliganism which saw the league’s “biggest walking promoter” lose his life.

Inspired by the historic feat of previous champions Samartex 1996 FC, Bibiani GoldStars might have envisioned clinching their first-ever league title at the start but certainly not in this box office fashion.

The Miners engraved their names into the annals of Ghana football history by thumping Accra Lions 4-0 at Duns Park on the season's final day to be crowned 2024/25 Ghana Premier League champions. They now get to battle the continent’s best next season in the CAF Champions League.

Unlike the previous campaign where relegation spots were confirmed on the last matchday, this year it was the ultimate winner that was confirmed on matchday 34.

However, akin to past years, there was absolute cinema-like drama, banter, coaching casualties, cheating allegations, sanctions, and a very avoidable tragedy.

In this article, Pulse Ghana highlights the major happenings during the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season.

Death

Excitement was brewing despite the many shortfalls of the league and fans were eager to witness an intriguing second half of the season after a competitive first round.

Unbeknownst to all and sundry, some unscrupulous lots were scheming a dangerous plan that would not only halt the season but pierce the hearts of the Porcupine faithful, a family, football fraternity, and the entire nation.

On February 2, 2025, these lots succeeded with their evil plan during the chaotic matchday 19 fixture between Nsoatreman FC and Asante Kotoko at the Nana Konamansah Park.

A staunch Porcupine Warrior, Francis Yaw Frimpong, alias Nana Pooley, was brutally stabbed to death after violent clashes marred the beauty of the game.

READ ALSO: Bibiani GoldStars CEO declares club's stance on playing in Africa, picks home venue

Suspension

That Sunday quickly got darker and dark clouds hovered around the country. By morning details of the shocking incident had spread like wildfire nationwide, the football community was in a state of mourning and there was only one immediate action needed – a suspension.

The GFA announced a suspension of the match week 20 fixtures. Ghana’s two biggest clubs, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, released a joint statement calling for important reforms to improve football in the country, including making the league run by an independent body, separate from the GFA.

In response, the GFA introduced what it called improved matchday security protocols, and the league resumed three weeks later on March 7, 2025, after Nana Pooley’s burial a day before.

But it didn’t take long for Nsoatreman FC to withdraw from the league due to concerns over the "security and safety" of their players.

A series of arrests were made including Nsoatreman FC owner and financier Ignatius Baffour Awuah. The case is still ongoing with the prime suspect identified as Brimah currently on the run.

Dismissals

On the field though, the competition was neck-and-neck, and those who couldn’t stand the pressure faced the exit.

Legon Cities were desperate to salvage their season and parted ways with head coach Yaw Acheampong, but the appointment of Tijani Abdul Rahim wasn’t enough to save them from being relegated.

READ ALSO: Nyantakyi breaks down in tears narrating how Wa All Stars boss ended up in Nsawam prison

Probably the biggest coaching casualty of the campaign was when Kotoko dismissed coach Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum after a string of poor results saw them slip from the league’s summit.

Karim Zito replaced him on an interim basis but fell short of bringing the coveted trophy to the Ashanti Region despite a resurgence in performance.

The biggest surprise would be how Aboubakar Ouattara managed to keep his role at Hearts of Oak throughout the season.

Sacrifice

Accra Lions might have been relegated by just three points. But for many keen followers of Ghana’s topflight, they were “unfairly sacrificed” for fighting the establishment.

Or maybe they sacrificed themselves to raise awareness about what they described as “steadily deteriorating conditions” of the league.

Their week 16 encounter against GFA President Kurt Okraku’s team Dreams FC on January 5, 2025, at the Tuba AstroTurf Park wasn’t without controversy.

Their social media commentary alleged foul play after a controversial penalty, and after the match, they shared a lengthy letter about their displeasure with how the league is being run.

Accra Lions were fined, and Dreams FC denied these allegations. Poetically, they were relegated after a 2-0 defeat against Dream FC in the second round.

Other teams and coaches tried sacrificing themselves to call out the rot in the league. From coach Samuel Badu blowing the whistle on poor officiating to Nations FC walking away against Basake Holy Stars and sacrificing their potential league title, there were so many martyrs.

READ ALSO: Ghana Football Awards 2025: Full list of nominees

And they were duly punished for it, including Nations FC's Emmanuel Annor who wasn’t ready to sacrifice his religious beliefs for the game.

His “I Belong To Jesus” celebration was not well received by the nation's football governing body. He was slapped with a GH₵500 fine.

However, he was not the only one slapped both figuratively and literally throughout the season though. The GFA Disciplinary Committee was working overtime, slapping sanctions almost every week, and hooligans also raided the game slapping match officials as and when they felt like it.

Away from all that slapping, some players were making good names for themselves while the product itself wrapped its arm in dirt.

Stephen Amankona of Berekum Chelsea emerged top scorer with 15 goals for the second consecutive time, GoldStars’ Emmanuel Kobi kept the most clean sheets with 18, one more than Black Stars number one, and Hearts of Oak shot stopper Benjamin Asare.

Unfortunately, we can’t get away from all that slapping for long. All that slapping should be slaps of accountability directed towards the handlers of the league.

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Never should a life be lost at a Ghana league center. This plague of controversy shouldn’t become a cliché. A similar tale shouldn't be told again next season.