The Minister for the Interior and Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, has given the strongest indication yet that the Security Services Sports Association (SESSA) Games, a competition that once served as one of Ghana’s most important talent identification platforms will be revived in the near future, with government backing to restore it to its former prestige and pipeline for Ghana’s next generation of elite athletes.
Muntaka made the declaration at the 2026 Security Service Fun Football Gala, held on June 5, 2026, at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, where six of the country’s key security agencies came together in a rare display of sporting activities. The occasion, he indicated, was a vivid reminder of what the full SESSA Games could once again deliver for Ghana’s security institutions and the country’s sporting ambitions.
The Gala
The football event brought together teams from the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Prisons Service, and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Beyond the competition itself, the gala was designed to cultivate camaraderie, sharpen teamwork, and promote healthy inter-agency relations among Ghana’s uniformed services.
On the revival of the SESSA Games, Hon. Muntaka was unequivocal in his commitment:
Government can assure you that we are going to revive the Security Service Sports Association (SESSA) Games in a more beautiful way than ever.”
Looking ahead to the full return of the Games, he said he hoped the competition would promote unity and teamwork.
I believe when we meet at the SESSA Games, we will even have more fun, entertain ourselves and be able to work together better than we did today.”
On the strategic importance of SESSA as a talent retention mechanism, Muntaka articulated a vision that frames the Games not merely as recreation but as an instrument of national sporting policy:
Because I believe that it is a way we can even keep our national athletes and sportsmen and women within the security service, maintain discipline and get them to represent our country at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and many other international competitions.”
He added that the SESSA Games would serve as a visible platform for the security services at the national level:
The SESSA will commence very, very soon and we want to organise it in a way that the whole country will realise that the security services are there.”
He further challenged the heads of the security services to begin preparing their contingents for the return of the competition:
So the IGP, the CDS, the Comptroller-General, the Director-General, the Chief Fire Officer and all the others, please prepare.”
In a lighter moment that underscored his personal investment in the initiative, the Minister suggested that senior officials themselves would be expected to take to the field alongside their teams:
Iwas telling the IGP and the CDS earlier that the next time we have these games, all of us will have to play at least the first five minutes together with our team to show solidarity.”
The Minister also took the opportunity to reaffirm government’s broader commitment to the welfare and leadership of security personnel:
Iwant to congratulate each and every one of you and assure you that we will continue to be there. Government will continue to support your service commanders and make your profession a great one.”
Why the Revival of SESSA Matters
The revival of the SESSA Games carries significance that extends well beyond institutional sport. Historically, the competition has served as a breeding ground for talented athletes who have gone on to represent Ghana at national, continental, and international competitions. Beyond talent identification, the Games strengthen unity among the security services, improve physical fitness, encourage teamwork, and promote inter-agency collaboration.
The Minister’s vision also seeks to create an avenue for athletes serving within Ghana’s security institutions to continue their sporting careers while maintaining professional discipline and contributing to national security, addressing a long-standing challenge of talent drain that has seen promising athletes leave the services in pursuit of sporting opportunities.
Participating Institutions of the 2026 Security Service Fun Football Gala
Ghana Armed Forces
Ghana Police Service
Ghana Immigration Service
Ghana National Fire Service
Ghana Prisons Service
Ghana Revenue Authority
The renewed SESSA Games are expected to become a major platform for sports excellence, national cohesion, and the discovery of future Olympians and Commonwealth Games representatives from Ghana’s security services. With the Interior Minister’s personal endorsement and government’s stated commitment to supporting its organisation, the competition’s long-awaited return now appears closer than ever.