The Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF) has extended its nationwide Regional Taekwondo Awareness Campaign to the Upper West Region, engaging 315 students from five schools at the Wa Technical Institute.
The event, held on Friday, October 30, 2026, is the third edition of the campaign, following earlier stops in Kumasi and Cape Coast. With the Wa engagement, the GTF has now reached more than 1,000 students across 26 schools in three regions.
The campaign, organised through the federation's regional associations, is designed to introduce the sport to young people, identify emerging talent, and promote discipline, physical fitness, and youth development.
Speaking on behalf of GTF President Frederick Lartey Otu, Secretary-General Kankpenuba Peter Nuntaa Wisdom said Taekwondo offered young people values that extended beyond sport.
"Taekwondo is more than a martial art. It is a discipline that teaches respect, self-control, perseverance, confidence and responsibility," he said.
He explained that the campaign sought to bring the sport into schools and communities, identify emerging talent, and build stronger partnerships with educational institutions and sports stakeholders.
The programme received support from the National Sports Authority (NSA), Ghana Education Service (GES), the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), and traditional authorities.
Biliguo Johnbosco, NSA Regional Sports Development Officer, commended the federation and the Upper West Regional Taekwondo Association for the initiative, reaffirming the authority's commitment to grassroots sports development and talent identification. He emphasised the importance of making sporting opportunities accessible to all, including girls and persons with disabilities.
Julius Angsomwine, Regional Physical Education Coordinator of the GES, expressed the Service's willingness to support the introduction of Taekwondo in schools. He noted, however, that the necessary administrative authorisation must be obtained before the association could undertake activities within schools.
"We are looking forward to that permission," he said.
Traditional leader Sunche Naa Daudi Osman Yakubu Saaka encouraged organisers to sustain the initiative and urged young people to embrace physical activities that promote healthy living.
A former Taekwondo practitioner and former Headmaster of Nandom Senior High School, Mr Magnus, called for the establishment of more Taekwondo clubs across the Upper West Region, particularly in schools and towns where previous clubs had ceased operating.
"Taekwondo is not about fighting. It is a self-defence system," he said.
The Wa Municipal Commander of the Narcotics Control Commission, JB Abesig, used the occasion to caution students against substance abuse, particularly the misuse of medication to improve physical performance or stay awake to study.
"Some substances go to block your memory," he cautioned, urging students to make informed choices and avoid taking medications that had not been prescribed for them.
The campaign has already visited the Ashanti and Central regions, with the GTF continuing its drive to make Taekwondo more accessible to young people across Ghana.
