GTF Elections: Four Key Positions Up for Grabs at July 18 Congress

The Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF) has formally opened the process to elect a new Executive Board for the 2026–2030 term, setting Saturday, July 18, as the date for an Elective General Assembly that will determine the leadership of the sport for the next four years.

In a notice dated June 22 and addressed to all Executive Board members and the chairpersons and secretaries of Member Regional Associations (MRAs), the Federation said the Congress will be held at the Media Centre of the Accra Sports Stadium, beginning at 10:00 a.m. prompt, in accordance with the GTF Constitution adopted on October 29, 2016.

Four positions are up for grabs at the Congress: President, Vice President, and two Member slots on the Executive Board.

The outcome will shape the direction of taekwondo administration in Ghana through to 2030, a period spanning two Olympic cycles and a string of continental and Commonwealth assignments for the federation.

Nomination forms for aspiring candidates will be released on Tuesday, June 23, with the Federation giving prospective contenders just under two weeks to submit completed paperwork.

The deadline for submission has been set for July 3, at 5:00 p.m., and the GTF has made clear that late entries will not be entertained.

Following the close of nominations, the Vetting and Election Committee will spend a week scrutinising candidates, running from July 8 to July 15, before the final list of cleared nominees is published ahead of the Congress.

The Federation has outlined a clear set of eligibility criteria for anyone hoping to contest a position on the incoming board. Candidates must be registered members in good standing with the GTF, and must secure a nomination from a registered member of the Federation.

Beyond that, contenders are required to satisfy the specific eligibility conditions set out for each position in the GTF Constitution, must have no criminal conviction or active suspension from any sports organisation, and must submit a fully completed nomination form before the stated deadline.

The Committee in Charge
Overseeing the entire process is a three-member Vetting and Election Committee chaired by Mr. Lawrence Osei-Boateng Esq., with Mr. Mohammed Muniru Kassim Esq. serving as a member alongside a representative of the National Sports Authority (NSA). Madam Cynthia Wintima has been named Administrative Secretary of the Committee, while the formal notice itself was signed by Cynthia W. Akudugu in her capacity as Secretary of the Vetting and Election Committee.

All correspondence relating to nominations and the electoral process is to be directed to the Committee’s official email address, taekwondogh2026@gmail.com, with the GTF stressing that the Committee’s mandate covers vetting nominees, resolving electoral disputes, and safeguarding the integrity of the vote.

Once vetting is complete, only candidates who are successfully cleared will appear on the ballot. Voting at the Congress will be conducted by secret ballot, with each Member Regional Association participating in line with provisions set out in the GTF Constitution. The Federation has indicated that results will be declared immediately after the counting of ballots, with no provision for a delayed announcement.

Voting rights at the Congress are restricted to registered Regions and their accredited delegates, and the GTF has reminded all Member Regional Associations that participation in the Congress is mandatory rather than optional.