‘Over to You, Joe Lartey’: Legendary Sports Commentator Reported Dead

Story by:Yesmeen Abubakar Tetteh.

Legendary sports commentator Joachim Awuley Lartey, widely known as “Over to You Joe Lartey,” has passed away at the age of 96.

The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) confirmed the death of the iconic sports journalist in a statement released on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

The announcement read:

“The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) announces the death of Mr Joachim Awuley Lartey aka ‘Joe Lartey’ on April 26, 2024. Late ‘Joe Lartey’ was the first President of SWAG and passed at 96. Further details on his demise and other arrangements will be announced in due course.”

Joe Lartey was a respected journalist whose career began in 1961 at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). He started in the talks and features department before moving to the sports department, where he quickly became a household name. As one of the most prominent voices in sports commentary, he served as the first president of SWAG after the organization’s founding in 1968.

During his career, Joe Lartey also worked in Nigeria for about a decade, gaining further recognition for his commentary style and expertise.

At the peak of his broadcasting career, Joe Lartey was often paired with the late Lt. Col. Festus Addae, who would frequently hand over the mic with the phrase “Over to you, Joe Lartey!” This phrase became synonymous with Lartey’s commentary and is still popular among sports journalists and fans in Ghana.

Further details about his life and the arrangements surrounding his passing will be shared by SWAG in due course.