AMA boss rewards Ghana’s armwrestling heroes with jobs
Ghana’s dominant Golden Arms team received more than applause for their historic conquest of Africa last week — they got jobs.
In a landmark gesture that could redefine athlete welfare and sports support in Ghana, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has offered employment opportunities to 30 members of the national armwrestling team, following their extraordinary performance at the 15th African Armwrestling Championships.
The announcement triggered wild celebrations when the mayor hosted the triumphant athletes and officials of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation at his residence in Accra last Wednesday to honour one of the greatest medal hauls by a Ghanaian team in continental sports history.
The Golden Arms completely overwhelmed the competition at the Borteyman Sports Complex, finishing far ahead of 21 other participating countries with a staggering 168 medals, comprising 71 gold, 63 silver and 34 bronze medals, and an unprecedented 1,262 points to emerge overall champions.
The performance further reinforced Ghana’s growing status as Africa’s dominant force in armwrestling and capped a remarkable decade-long rise for a sport that only took root in the country 10 years ago.
Clearly impressed by the team’s achievements, Mayor Allotey declared that the athletes had defended Ghana’s flag with distinction and deserved tangible opportunities beyond medals and applause.
The AMA boss revealed that the Assembly would establish a 30-member armwrestling team made up of selected national athletes who would be formally employed to represent the Assembly.
According to him, the athletes would assist with revenue mobilisation activities, including ticketing operations, while earning monthly salaries and commission-based incentives.
“I commend the Golden Arms for making Ghana proud,” Mayor Allotey said as he addressed the athletes. “I encourage you to remain disciplined, focused and committed for even greater achievements.”
Then came the headline announcement that electrified the gathering.
“I always say I believe in action rather than words,” he declared. “AMA is going to create a 30-member armwrestling team among you, who will be employed to work and earn money. Those selected can begin work on Monday, then we’ll see how to put the team together.”
In a sporting landscape where many athletes struggle financially despite international success, the intervention immediately stood out as one of the boldest athlete-support initiatives by a local government institution in recent years.
For Ghanaian sports administrators, the decision also presents a potentially important model for how metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies can integrate sports development into employment creation and community engagement.
The emotional significance of the moment was not lost on the leadership of the federation.
President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, Charles Osei Asibey, described the Mayor’s intervention as a major morale boost and a sign that the sport now had institutional backing at the highest local level.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the federation and athletes, he said the gesture proved that Ghana armwrestling had found a dependable home and a committed supporter in the Office of the Mayor of Accra.
The occasion also deepened the relationship between the federation and the city authority, with Mayor Allotey officially designated as a patron of Ghana armwrestling.
To honour his support and hospitality, the federation presented him with a commemorative plaque bearing the federation's crest and the inscription: “Your support made every victory possible.”
The plaque also celebrated “10 years of pulling together”, a symbolic tribute marking a decade since armwrestling was introduced in Ghana.
