Ghana’s Immigration and Prisons Services have warmly welcomed their officers who recently returned home as African champions following a dominant performance at the 2025 African Armwrestling Championship held in Abuja, Nigeria.
In two separate but heartfelt ceremonies, top officials from both security institutions celebrated their officers’ triumphs, with a total of 20 medals won by members from the two services, contributing significantly to Ghana’s overall haul of 55 medals at the tournament.
At the Prisons Service headquarters, Director-General Patience Baffoe Bonnie commended the outstanding achievements of officers Daniel Acquah and Mabel Yeboah, each securing four gold medals, and Henry Otoo, who earned two silver and two bronze. The champions, beaming with pride, presented their medals to the Director-General and shared reflections from the championship.
Mrs. Baffoe Bonnie highlighted the transformative power of sports, particularly in correctional environments, saying, “Sport is a powerful tool for rehabilitation. We’re committed to integrating armwrestling into our programmes to support both inmates and personnel.”
In a similar show of appreciation, Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Samuel Basintale, met with medalists Edward Yamoah Asamoah (2 gold), Blessed Abeka Nunoo (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze), and Godwin Sackey (1 gold, 1 silver), as well as internationally certified referee Nii Otoo Larkyne.
Mr. Basintale emphasized the value of sports in security work: “Beyond medals, this is about discipline, physical fitness, and building unity among our ranks. We’ll provide the necessary resources from equipment to sponsorship to grow this sport within our service.”
The officers expressed their gratitude for the support, promising to serve as ambassadors for the sport while encouraging younger personnel and civilians alike to take up armwrestling.
Charles Osei Asibey, President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, who attended both ceremonies, was optimistic about the future of the sport in Ghana. “We’re motivated and inspired, knowing we have the full support of key national institutions,” he said.
With the backing of the Ghana Immigration and Prisons Services, armwrestling is poised for further growth across the country, not just as a competitive sport, but as a tool for discipline, health, and rehabilitation.
