Justic for Ransford: Ghana Police arrest coach Ibrahim Anyass over death of academy footballer - BBC News Pidgin | Goose Pod

Authors: Komla Adom

Publisher:

BBC

Published: 11/8/2025

Language:English

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Elon

Good morning norristong, I'm Elon, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Thursday, November 13th. We're diving into a story out of Ghana that’s just a gut punch to the system.

Donald

A terrible story. I'm Donald, and we're here to discuss the call for justice for a young man named Ransford. The people are demanding it, and frankly, they're right. It’s a disgrace.

Elon

The core of this is the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ransford Owusu Ansah, a player at the Siano Football Academy. He died back in March, but the story is exploding now because of what his mother alleges happened to him.

Donald

It's a horror story. The allegation is that his coach, a man named Ibrahim Anyass, sexually abused him. Not just once, but almost every single day for three months. It’s disgusting, and people are furious, absolutely furious about it. Believe me.

Elon

The boy himself spoke about it on a local radio station before he fell into a coma. He said the coach promised to make him the best footballer if he stayed silent. That’s a level of manipulation that is just fundamentally evil. It’s an abuse of a foundational trust.

Donald

And the mother, a great woman, she knew something was wrong. The coach wouldn't let her talk to her son, kept saying everything was fine. She had to go there herself to get him, and by then, the boy was incredibly sick. He was in a coma for a month before he died. Sad.

Elon

The initial police response was apparently sluggish, which is what forced the mother to take the story to social media. This created the #JusticeForRansford campaign, a massive groundswell of public pressure that’s been incredibly effective. It’s a complete failure of the formal system.

Donald

The people's voice is powerful! The hashtag is trending, celebrities are talking, everyone is demanding action. Actor Yaw Dabo called it a shame to the Ghana football sector and called on the president to get involved. That’s what it takes, sometimes you have to make a lot of noise.

Elon

And that noise led to a result. The Ghana Police have now arrested the coach, Ibrahim Anyass. The public essentially forced the hand of the authorities. This is a case where the decentralized power of social media drove a direct outcome when institutions failed.

Elon

To understand why social media was necessary, you have to look at the system itself. Ghana's child protection framework, according to their own 2014 policy documents, is built on an outdated, uncoordinated, and ineffective model. It’s a system practically designed to fail in a case like this.

Donald

They have the laws! They have the Children's Act of 1998, all these fancy acts. But there’s a total disconnect between the laws on paper and what actually happens. It’s a classic case of the swamp. The system is broken, and the people in charge aren't fixing it.

Elon

Exactly. The policy itself admits the system is reactive, not preventative. It only acts after a child is already in crisis. There’s no proactive mechanism to identify and stop abuse. It’s like trying to build a car by waiting for it to crash first. It makes no sense.

Donald

And they don't have the money. The documents show the budgets are a joke. GHS 971,000 for the entire Child Protection program, and most of that, 74%, just goes to paying salaries. There's nothing left for the actual programs to protect the kids. It's a total misallocation of resources.

Elon

This forces people into informal channels. Families and community leaders try to handle it, but their focus is often on reconciliation or compensation, not the child's welfare. The child’s needs get lost in the process of restoring community harmony, which is a flawed optimization.

Donald

They have this group, DOVVSU, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit. They're part of the police. But even they are overwhelmed and under-resourced. They’re focused on the criminal, not helping the victim. It’s all backwards. The whole system is a mess.

Elon

The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection only really engaged with the Ghana Football Association after the new minister, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, took her post in February 2025. This was months after Ransford had already been receiving treatment. The response time is unacceptable.

Donald

It's a bureaucracy that doesn't work for the people. It took a brave mother and thousands of people online to get one arrest. It shouldn't be that hard. It shows you how broken things are. The system didn't work, so the people had to do it for them. It’s a beautiful thing, in a way.

Elon

It's a powerful demonstration of public will, but it's a terrible indictment of the state's ability to perform its most basic function: protecting the vulnerable. The entire structure needs to be torn down and rebuilt from first principles. It's fundamentally flawed.

Elon

The central conflict here is stark. You have the recorded words of a dying boy detailing horrific abuse, and then you have the coach, Ibrahim Anyass, on that same radio show, flatly denying everything. He claims he trained Ransford since he was a small boy and would never do such a thing.

Donald

Of course, he denies it! It's a witch hunt, they always say. But you listen to the facts. The boy is dead. The mother is crying out for justice. The coach admits the boy was sick many times at the academy. It's a terrible situation, and his denial is just not credible. Not to me.

Elon

His actions contradict his words. The mother stated that when she informed the coach of her son's critical condition, he sent her money for medical bills and herbal medicine. This is not the behavior of someone who believes they are wrongly accused; it suggests an attempt to manage the situation.

Donald

He promised to visit the hospital, but he never showed up! A total coward. He thought money would make it go away. This isn't a negotiation. You can't buy your way out of something so evil. The people of Ghana, they see right through it. They're not stupid.

Elon

Then there's the conflict between the justice sought by the public and the pace of the official investigation. The #JusticeForRansford campaign demands immediate, decisive action, while the police and legal systems move methodically, creating a tension that fuels public outrage and skepticism about the institutions.

Donald

The people are tired of waiting. The police had this for months and did nothing. Then, a viral video, some famous people get involved, and suddenly, there's an arrest. It proves that the only power that matters is the power of the people speaking up. They have to keep the pressure on.

Elon

The impact of this is a seismic shock to the reputation of Ghana's entire football academy industry. Parents across the country who entrust their children to these institutions are now forced to question their safety. The fundamental pillar of trust has been shattered, which will have long-term consequences.

Donald

It’s a total disaster for them, and frankly, they deserve the scrutiny. This case exposes the whole system. As Gifty Saah Osei, the woman who started the petition said, it shows predators that they can get away with it. The impact is that people are finally waking up. It’s a beautiful, but sad, thing.

Elon

The social media activism has been the primary driver of every major development here. The online petition surpassed 2,900 signatures very quickly. This isn't just slacktivism; it's a focused application of public pressure that has directly influenced law enforcement actions, leading to the suspension of the coach and the closure of the academy.

Donald

It's the only way to get things done. You have to fight. The parents are now petitioning the Speaker of Parliament, the Inspector General of Police, and the Ghana Football Association. They are hitting all the top people. You have to go right to the top. You can't be afraid.

Elon

Looking forward, the immediate next step is legal. The police docket is being transferred to the Attorney General's office for advice on how to proceed. This will determine the trajectory of the prosecution. But the larger issue is systemic reform. This cannot be a one-off event.

Donald

They need to make an example of this coach. A strong example. People need to see that there are real consequences. No more slaps on the wrist. This is about protecting all the other kids out there in these academies. It has to be done, and it has to be done tough.

Elon

There is some indication of progress. The Ghana Football Association is reportedly implementing 'Enhanced Safety and Security Protocols.' The key will be whether these are substantive, technology-driven changes with real oversight, or just a public relations effort to appease the current outrage. The execution is everything.

Elon

This case is a tragic but powerful example of how public outcry can force accountability when systems fail. The fight for justice for Ransford has exposed deep flaws and may become a catalyst for change.

Donald

That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod. We'll be watching this case. See you tomorrow.

This podcast discusses the tragic death of 16-year-old footballer Ransford Owusu Ansah in Ghana. Allegations of sexual abuse by his coach, Ibrahim Anyass, led to a public outcry and the #JusticeForRansford campaign. Social media pressure forced police to arrest the coach, highlighting systemic failures in child protection and the power of public activism.

Justic for Ransford: Ghana Police arrest coach Ibrahim Anyass over death of academy footballer - BBC News Pidgin

Read original at BBC →

#JusticeForRansford campaign start for Ghana afta death of academy player sake of alleged sexual abuse by coachWia dis foto come from, SIANOBAAKOPEWetin we call dis foto, Di 16-year-old boy dey di football academy for three years bifor he die Author, Komla AdomRole, Senior Journalist, BBC Pidgin8 November 2025, 09:52 WATNew Informate 6 hours wey don passDis tori get wetin fit turn your belle.

#JusticeForRansford dey trend for Ghana for several days.For social media, celebrities, influencers and oda citizens carry dia voice join dis hashtag to demand justice for one 16-year-old boy wey die in March dis year.Di juvenile footballer wey im parents carry am go di Siano Football Academy for Pokuase to become professional soccer star, allegedly suffer sexual abuse from im coach.

According to di late Ransford Owusu Ansah, di coach Ibrahim Anyass allegedly sodomize am almost evri day for three months inside di football academy.Afta di mother suffer to take care of di medical bills of di boy wen e fall sick, carry di mata go one local radio station, Oyerepa FM.Di little boy explain on top di radio show say "di coach always carry me enta one of di academy rooms wey e dey sleep wit me.

He say make I no tell anybody.""I get big wound but di coach still dey sleep wit me," di late Ransford tok for di radio show.E also explain say di coach promise to make am di best footballer if e allow am to kontinu to sleep wit am.Mother of di late juvenile footballer say di coach neva allow her to tok to her son on phone for many weeks even though Ransford tok am say e dey sick.

According to Eno Ansah, coach Ibrahim Anyass always dey tok am say di academy dey take care of her son and im hospital bills so make she no worry, until she go di academy by herself one day."Afta I carry my son come house, di condition become worse wey dem admit am for one children's hospital for Kumasi, bifor e enta coma for one month."

She tok di host of di Oyerepa FM show say "my son open up to wen im health become critical, wey dem admit am for hospital.""While e dey on admission I call di coach to give am update about di condition wey e send me money to pay for medical bills and buy herbal medicine. Di coach also promise to visit di child for hospital but e neva show up," Eno Ansah tok.

Ransford Ansah later enta coma for one month wey e get plenty bed sores bifor e die in March, according to im mother.She later report di mata to di police, but afta many months, dem no give am any closure wey she carry di mata enta social media.Inside one viral video, Eno Ansah cry out to Ghanaians say make dem help her get justice for her son.

Wetin coach Ibrahim Anyass tok about di allegationsDem call coach Ibrahim Anyass on top di radio show for his side of di story but e deny."Wetin Ransford tok say I dey sexually abuse am no be true. Dem carry Ransford come di academy wen e be small boy wey I train am till now. I no fit do such a tin to im."

Coach Anyass explain say "for some time, Ransford dey fall sick for di academic plenty times, wey I dey buy herbal medicine for am until di sickness become serious."Even afta dem play back di voice of di little boy wen e dey explain how di coach dey abuse am every day, oga Ibrahim Anyass still deny di allegation.

Wia dis foto come from, CHANGE.ORGWetin we call dis foto, Many celebrities and influencers add dia voice to di hashtag JusticeForRansfordMinistry of gender and social protection reactOne online petition wey dey demand justice for di late 16-year-old juvenile footballer get more dan 2,900 signatures as at 5 AM (GMT), Saturday 8 November 2025.

Di petition dey demand investigation into di mata from di Ghana football association, di Ghana police service and oda agencies to prosecute di coach.Gifty Saah Osei wey start di petition say, "absence of action from di agencies wey dey responsible be unacceptable.""Dis case dey expose weakness in di kontris child protection system, when adults wey dey in position of trust neva dey face any punishment, e dey teach oda predators say dem fit continue dia bad tins."

Inside one statement, di ministry of gender, children and social protection explain wetin do since di mata reach dia office.According to di ministry, dem find say di late Ransford Owusu Ansah dey di Siano Football Academy for Amasaman for three years, where his coach allegedly sexually abuse him."According to di records, di victim dey receive treatment since December 2024, bifor dem later admit am for di Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital (Kath) where he later die."

Di ministry tok say "management of di Siano football academy suspend di coach wey dem tok say dem go dey available to assist di law enforcement agencies to provide justice for di 16-year-old.""When di gender minister Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey take her post in February 2025, she engage di Ghana football association about dis mata to ensure accountability and strong child protection for di football sector."

Di ministry say "in addition to di suspension of coach Ibrahim Anyass, dem also close di football academy for investigations into di mata."Di domestic violence and victim support unit of di police (Dovvsu) chook eye for di mata wey dem transfer di docket to di homicide unit of di CID for further investigations.

Police tok anytin about di case?Di Ghana police service no officially tok anytin yet but sources say dem invite di suspect – Ibrahim Anyass to answer some questions for di CID headquarters.According to human rights advocate and lawyer for mother of di late 16-year-old, di police arrest di suspect."I fit tok you people say di police arrest Siano football academy coach Ibrahim in connection wit di Ransford case," lawyer Annan tok."

Dem dey investigate – sake of di law say pesin dey innocent until court go prove say you be guilty. As lawyer, we provide all di information to di police wit di help of Ransford family."E also explain say wetin remain now be for di police to submit di docket for dis mata to di Attorney General office for advice about how dis mata go continue.

Now pressure dey on di police to provide update on dis mata as di #JusticeForRansford campaign dey continu for social media.Popular blogger and digital journalist Kobby Kyei write for twitter (X) "dem take di life of dis young footballer afta years of abuse. No boy gatz to ensure sometin like dis. We stand wit di family and demand justice; boys deserve safety."

TV personality Anita Akua Akuffo also tok say "no human, especially a 16-year-old, deserve to die like dis. Di tin make I weak."Actor Yaw Dabo wey also get soccer academy say make di whole kontri rise to demand justice."I dey call on di president and oda big pipo like di IGP and odas to take dis mata serious.

Dis be shame to di Ghana football sector. #JusticeForRansford"For TikTok, pipo dey do videos to add dia voice to di call for #JusticeForRansford