Sports
A call on security services
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• Lawyer Kwame Asuah-Takyi
Recruitment into the security services was a period a lot of athletes – footballers, runners and boxers especially, looked forward to with hope.
These athletes were usually unemployed and rode on their participation in sports to get the attention of selectors into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) comprising Army, Navy and Airforce; Ghana Police Service (GPS), Ghana Prisons Service (GPS), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and the then Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), now referred to as Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
For these services, the period represents one to strengthen their respective sports teams to show their prowess at the Security Services Sports Association (SESSA) games.
Those were the days sports enthusiasts would abandon a Ghana Premier League game at the sports stadium to watch a handball clash between Police and Prisons or Fire Service with any of the previous two.
Sports was exciting not only at the professional level but even at the amateur level where institutions aimed to be dominant.
That period appear to have gone with the wind. Currently, the SESSA games, which a few referred to as ‘Security Services Olympics’ has been put on hold for how long only God knows.
It has affected sports competition among the services, talent production as well as the few faithful that hopes to get into their preferred services through the power of sports.
In female football, the GIS female team, for instance, was one of the teams that dazzled fans because they had star-studded team comprising top players including onetime Ghana’s finest female midfielder, Florence Okoe.
In handball, Prisons, Police and Fire were able to create a vibrant atmosphere at the Prisons Sports Complex area in Cantonment.
They did same with volleyball and hockey.
Customs had no massive competitor in basketball where the Braves dominated not only in Ghana but the West African sub-region.
The latter parts of SESSA games saw a Prisons interest in boxing. That led to the recruitment of boxers like Musah Rahman Lawson, Jesse and Jerry Lartey, former captain of the Black Bombers Sulemana Tetteh and others.
Prisons suddenly became a force in boxing and overshadowed the Army which had a few professional boxers and were thought to be the real force.
The obvious decline of sports at this level should be a matter of concern for all.
However, one could say a return to that era is in sight if a pledge by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to recruit the five civilians on Team Ghana’s victorious arm-wrestling team at the 13th Africa Games in Accra was to come to pass.
During a call on the Comptroller General Immigration (CGI), ‘Vandal’ Lawyer Kwame Asuah Takyi to present some of the medals won by the team, the Service minced no words about its intention to recruit the five civilians in the visiting party.
Two of the armwrestlers were GIS staff and a third, a Deputy Coach of the gold medal winning Black Princesses, Anita Wiredu Mintah.
That obviously makes it incomplete when the history of Ghana’s armwrestling at the Games is written without the mention of the GIS.
This must be a shining example the various services must emulate because indirectly, it will boost Ghana sports.
This is not a story for armwrestling alone. It cuts across the many sports disciplines/federations that raise teams comprising of talented but unemployed athletes who are unable to focus on their chosen endeavour because of ‘bread and butter’ issues.
Some of these sportsmen and women may never find themselves on protocol lists of the political elites but could stand on international podium to highlight the achievement of the state in sports in big international events.
Like the Immigration boss put it, the Service has enjoyed free branding, free publicity just because its staff excelled in armwrestling. This should be a challenge to all the services and revisit the era where the recruitment of sports personnel was a priority.
By Andrew Nortey
Just a few years ago, Zinabu Issah’s life revolved around her small trading business, and competing in sports was not on her mind.
Today, the Ghanaian para-athlete stands proudly as a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, proving that determination, hard work and perseverance can transform lives in unimaginable ways.
Issah, who competes in the shot put, javelin and discus events, recalls how her journey began unexpectedly when Coach Emmanuel Sowah Anum approached her and encouraged her to try para-sports.
“I had no intention of doing any sport. I was a petty trader and one day my coach approached me and told me to take up the sport. When he first said it, I laughed because sports was not my thing.
“But he was persistent and eventually convinced me to take up the sport,” she told GNA Sports in an interview.
According to Zinabu, her decision was met with resistance from some family members and friends who questioned why a woman living with a disability would pursue field events.
She faced a lot of stereotypes and criticism, which could easily have discouraged her, but she decided to stay focused on achieving success.
“He (Coach) told me he had seen something in me and believed I could excel in the sport,” she said while expressing gratitude to her coach.
“I want to thank God first of all and also thank my coach for believing in me,” she added.
Her coach, Emmanuel Sowah in an interview, revealed that he spotted Zinabu in Kumasi in 2014 and admitted that life was very difficult for her at the time.
“I saw something in her. I knew I could make her a better field athlete despite her disability, and I personally bought her first training kit. Over the past years, she has developed impressively,” he said.
Coach Sowah said he believes Zinabu can achieve even more and hopes she can step up at the next Paralympic Games, which he is confident she will qualify for.
The road from being a trader to competing in shot put, discus and javelin has been remarkable.
Zinabu has featured in numerous international tournaments, most notably winning gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games Qualifiers Grand Prix in Marrakech, Morocco.
The success earned her recognition, including an award at the 9th Women in Sports Association (WISA) Awards, a moment she says significantly boosted her confidence and motivation.
Her latest achievement came at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she delivered a season-best throw of 8.65 metres to secure silver in the women’s F57 shot put.
That was Ghana’s first medal of the Games and, according to Zinabu, the victory has changed perceptions within her family.
“Ever since my winning moment at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, my family have praised my exploits, and I am excited about that.
“My junior sister, who in the past told me to stop and promised to give me money to start a new business, is today excited about my achievement,” she said.
With her sights now firmly set on the 2028 Paralympic Games, Zinabu is determined to continue breaking barriers.
“I am preparing for the Paralympics, and I am optimistic of qualification. My target is to go for the gold medal,” she said.
For Zinabu, the journey from being a petty trader to a Commonwealth Games medalist is more than a personal triumph is a story of resilience, belief and the power of giving opportunity a chance. –GNA
The Angel Starlight Foundation (ASF) last Friday presented assorted food items to learners and management of the Street Academy, a sports and cultural organisation in Accra.
Mrs Angel Addo, Founder of the NGO made the donation as part of her birthday celebration.
She presented bags of rice, beans, maize, gallons of cooking oil, biscuits, drinks, soap and toilet rolls.
“This is a yearly ritual for me; choosing to celebrate my birthday with children of the Academy. They are very dear to my heart,” she told the Spectator.
She said “these are underprivileged children who through no fault of theirs find themselves on the streets but have been fortunate to be picked by the Academy and are receiving care.”
He urged government and corporate Ghana to also support the Academy in order to support such children who are offered formal education and trained in skilled programmes.
Receiving the items, Dr Ataa Lartey, Founder of the Academy thanked the Foundation for the gesture which he said would go a long way to ease the burden of the Academy.
In another development, the Academy will host its annual health walk today.
The event would attract children from the Academy and those from neighbouring communities and keep fit enthusiasts.
By Spectator Reporter
