President John Mahama to grace SWAG awards on Friday

President of the republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama is the special guest of honour on Friday 24th January, 2025 when the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) awards deserving athletes for the year 2024.

It will be the 49th edition of the awards which promises to be electrifying as the top performers for the year under review will be honoured at the Accra International Conference Center. The awards will go to personalities and teams who have distinguished themselves for the past year.

The presence of the president of the republic certainly adds flair and importance to the awards as he is expected to deliver a keynote address on the theme : “Gold and Glory, a call for change in national orientation and investment in sports.” The president will also take the opportunity to share his vision for sports development in Ghana and honour the achievements of the award winners.

As the longest-running sports award scheme in Ghana, the SWAG Awards have consistently recognized and rewarded top-performing sportsmen and women since 1975 and President Mahama’s presence at the event will undoubtedly add to the excitement and prestige of the occasion.

Highlife sensation, Peter Fameye Gozah aka Fameye, will entertain patrons at the event.

The 49th SWAG Awards promises to be an unforgettable and exciting evening, with over 50 top-performing athletes and officials being honored for their contributions to Ghanaian sports.

Nominees for this year’s awards were announce in December, 2024 which features Rose Amoanimaa and Grace Mintah alongside other athletes who will battle it out among other top performers for the top prize on the night.

Below is the full list of nominees for the 49^th SWAG Awards:

CORPORATE AWARDS

Access Bank
KGL
AFE Lotto

MERITORIOUS AWARD

Mr Ernest Thompson – Football
Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare – 13th African Games
Ernest Danso – CDM, 13^th African Games

DEDICATION AND VALOUR

Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah Asare – Cricket
Hannah Akua Humphrey – Taekwondo
Abdul Rasheed Williams (Believer) – Boxing
Mr Joseph Yaw Appiah – Football
New Juaben Table Tennis Club

POSTHUMOUS AWARD

Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah

STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

William Amponsah – West Texas A&M University
Mariam Yussif – St Louis Senior High School
Naseera Efua Kwansah – Effutu Senior High School

REFEREE/UMPIRE OF THE YEAR

Nii Otoo Larkyne – Armwrestling
Julien Nunoo – Football
WO1 Clement Smith Danyagri – Athletics

PROSPECT OF THE YEAR

Abdul Aziz Issah – Football
Blessed Abeka Nunoo – Armwrestling

DISCOVERY OF THE YEAR

Jada Yankey – Swimming
Ayisha Aminu – Golf

SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR/PRESIDENT OF THE YEAR

Bernard Quartey – Ghana Boxing Federation
Charles Osei Asibey – Ghana Armwrestling Federation
Bawa Fuseini – Ghana Athletics

SWAG TOP FIVE (5) FEDERATIONS

Ghana Badminton Association
Ghana Hockey Association
Ghana Armwrestling Federation
Ghana Taekwondo Federation
Ghana Athletics
Ghana Swimming Association
Ghana Boxing Federation
Ghana Football Association

NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

Black Challenge – Amputee Football
Black Sticks Ladies – Hockey
Black Satellites – Football
Black Princess – Football
Athletics Relay Team

CLUB OF THE YEAR – MALE

FC Samartex – Football
Dreams FC – Football

CLUB OF THE YEAR – FEMALE

Hasaacas Ladies – Football
Royal Ladies – Hockey

BEACH SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Alexander Adjei

CYCLIST OF THE YEAR

Emmanuel Sesi – Royal Stars Cycling Club
Victor Cudjoe Akpablu – Gladiators Cycling Club

WEIGHTLIFTER OF THE YEAR

Winnifred Ntumi

TAEKWONDO ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Erica Tuagbor
Kelvin Amuzu

SWIMMER OF THE YEAR

Abeiku Jackson

PULLER OF THE YEAR – FEMALE

Grace Mintah – Ghana Police Service

PULLER OF THE YEAR – MALE

Edward Yamoah Asamoah – Ghana Immigration Service

TABLE TENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Israel Aklie
Joanita Borteye

HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR – MALE

Benjamin Acquah – Exchequers Hockey Club

HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR – FEMALE

Elizabeth Opoku – GRA Ladies Hockey Club
Mavis Ampem Darko – Army Ladies Hockey Club

BOXER OF THE YEAR

Amadu Mohammed
Joseph Commey

COACH OF THE YEAR

Yussif Basigi – Black Princesses
Desmond Offei – Black Satellite
Boakye Yiadom – Black Sticks Ladies
Husseini Akuetteh Addy – Golden Arms
Dr Ofori Asare – Black Bombers
Nurudeen Amadu – FC Samartex

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – MALE

Joseph Paul Amoah
Edwin Gadayi
Cadman Evans Yamoah

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – FEMALE

Rose Yeboah Amoanimaa

FEMALE FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR – HOME BASED

Ophelia Serwaa Amponsah (Ampen Darkoa Ladies)
Grace Banwa (Hasaacas Ladies)
Mukarama Abdulai (Hasaacas Ladies)

FEMALE FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR – FOREIGN BASED

Thelma Baffoe Atuah (TP Mazembe)
Salamatu Abdulai (Swieqi United, Malta)
Jennifer Kankam Yeboah (ZED FC, Egypt)

MALE FOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

Emmanuel Keyeke – FC Samartex
Stephen Amankona – Berekum Chelsea
Abdul Aziz Issah – FC Barcelona

SWAG SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Grace Mintah – Armwrestling
Rose Yeboah Amoanimaa – Athletics

SWAG PRESIDENT’S AWARD

SWAG LONG SERVICE AWARD – MEDIA

SWAG SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

The award winners are determined by votes from members of SWAG, SWAG Exco as well as the general assembly of members which was done earlier to determine winners of some of the categories.