{"id":1009851,"date":"2022-03-03T17:17:47","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T17:17:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/03\/03\/compensation-cant-replace-my-father-says-relative-of-olembe-stadium\/"},"modified":"2022-03-03T17:17:47","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T17:17:47","slug":"compensation-cant-replace-my-father-says-relative-of-olembe-stadium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/03\/03\/compensation-cant-replace-my-father-says-relative-of-olembe-stadium\/","title":{"rendered":"Compensation ‘can’t replace my father’, says relative of Olembe Stadium"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"The
The Olembe Stadium held the Nations Cup opening ceremony and is due to host the tournament’s final on 6 February
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

A relative of one of those killed in the Olembe Stadium crush during the Africa Cup of Nations has said the compensation his family has received can never make up for their loss.<\/p>\n

Last week, Cameroon\u2019s President Paul Biya announced that money would be distributed to those affected by the tragedy, which occurred in Yaounde on 24 January.<\/p>\n

Relatives of the\u00a0eight people who died\u00a0have each been allocated 10m Central African Francs ($17,042) from a compensation fund of CFA 84.7m ($143,000).<\/p>\n

\u201cCFA 10m can\u2019t replace my father,\u201d one victim\u2019s son, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is better than nothing. I haven\u2019t yet taken the money because we buried him during the weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am expecting to take the money this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two children, aged eight and 14, were among the fatalities while a further 47 people were injured \u2013 seven of them seriously \u2013 outside the stadium during a Nations Cup between hosts Cameroon and Comoros.<\/p>\n

A stampede occurred after a gate to the stadium\u2019s main southern entrance, which had been closed, was opened after a heavy build-up of spectators outside, prompting those at the front to be trampled as the crowd swarmed forward.<\/p>\n

A Nations Cup quarter-final due to be played at Olembe Stadium was moved following the incident, but the 60,000-capacity stadium was\u00a0kept as the venue for a semi-final and the tournament\u2019s final.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are still traumatised by our nephew\u2019s death,\u201d another unnamed relative told BBC Sport Africa. \u201cWe aren\u2019t expecting more because money will not bring back our child.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ ALSO<\/strong><\/p>\n

Those injured in last month\u2019s crush have been granted CFA 100,000 ($170) each, a figure one victim described as \u201cfair\u201d.<\/p>\n

The seven people who were seriously injured in the crush \u2013 all of whom have now recovered \u2013 had their hospital bills covered by the Cameroonian government, and any future medical care for the 47 injured will reportedly still be free.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s fair because I am still alive,\u201d a man who was caught in the incident said of the money allocated by the government.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel pains in my abdomen since the crush. The governor told us health care will still be free for us. If we feel bad, we can go to a public hospital and be taken on charge free.\u201d<\/p>\n

When discussing the incident last month, Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe said he was unprepared to share the reason the gate had been shut, saying it still troubled him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fatalities happened where a gate which was supposed to be open,\u201d said the South African.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something I have problems understanding and I don\u2019t want to tell you why I\u2019m told they locked it.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n