The footballer fraternity was struck by bad news when eight footballers of Offinso based club Africa Vision Football Academy were killed in a road accident when a minibus the team they travelled with veered off the road into the Offin River.
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Ghanaian footballer Kevin-Prince Boateng who was saddened by the death of the young footballers promised to help the family members of the deceased.
And he has delivered on his promise by donating an amount of GHC 16,000 to the family members of the eight players who died in the accident.
A presentation was made on behalf of the former AC Milan player at a ceremony organised at the Offinso Municipal.
“Like I said, I heard it on the news and that is why I am here, I want to help,” the player had told JoyNews a fortnight after the accident.
Although he could not personally make the trip down from Italy, Boateng sent representatives from Accra to make a donation on his behalf.
“We are here to share in your pain, so that you do not carry it all alone,” said Fiifi Parker Hanson, who represented the player.
In attendance were the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the area, Solomon Kesse, and a representative of the chief of the area.
Each of the eight bereaved families received GHS 2,000 from the Italy-based footballer, who has also pledged to do more for the surviving boys.
“When we heard that Boateng had promised to do this, we taught it was just one of those things, so we were so happy when the call came that we should assemble the families for this occasion. It means a lot,” said Nana Osei Bediako, who represented Nana Wiafe Akenten III.
On his part, the MCE expressed delight at the gesture. “It is not even about the amount Kevin sent, but the willingness for him to go to these lengths to do this. It really shows a human side of him and for this, he would never lack.”
One of eight boys who died was a twin, called Panyin. The other twin, Hubert Kakra, was at the ceremony. “I miss my brother so much. We were both supposed to go to Afrancho for the registration that day, but I had something else to do at [the nearby town of] Kayera. That’s why I couldn’t go. Otherwise…”At the end of the short ceremony, mothers wailed, and fathers fought back tears.
As tough as it all was, there was a sense that they have not been alone. “I know I’m one of the lucky ones, because since the incident, the government and well meaning people have supported us. This one by Kevin-Prince Boateng is also good and makes us feel that we live in a community and we are not islands. God bless him. ”
The seven boys who died on the spot were Ofori Amanfo Ramsey, Alex Agyemang, Antwi Richmond, Abdulai Jamal, Hubert Anaba, Boakye Samuel and Kwame Opoku.