The Upper West Region has taken a major step toward structured athletics development with the official inauguration of the Upper West Region Athletics Association on Saturday June 13, 2026.
The new body, formed to coordinate talent identification, coaching and competition in the region, was launched at a ceremony attended by sports administrators, coaches, youth leaders and athletes.
Organizers say the body will provide the institutional support the region’s athletes have long lacked.
Bernard Anbataayela Mornah who was sworn in as chairman of the association alongside some other executives.The executive team includes Julius Ansongnwini as vice chairman, Issahaque Abdul Moomen as secretary, Illiasu Osman Mustapha as organizing secretary and Banyeseri Martha as treasurer.
“This is more than a ceremonial achievement,” Mr. Mornah said in his acceptance speech as Upper West regional chairman on behalf of his colleagues. “It represents hope for thousands of young athletes who dream of wearing the national colours and representing their communities on bigger stages.” He pledged that executives for all 11 districts in the region would be constituted within three months.
Speakers at the event highlighted the Upper West Region’s track record of producing resilient and hardworking athletes, and stressed that a formal regional structure is essential to transform raw talent into national and international success.
The group’s priorities, they said, will include talent identification, athlete development, coaching education and organized competitions.
National president of the Ghana Athletes, Bawa Fuseini, swore in the new executives and urged them to act in the interest of athletes. “Upper West has what it takes to deliver athletes for Ghana,” Mr. Fuseini said, adding that the region’s future in athletics looks bright under the current leadership.
John Bosco Biliguo, Upper West regional director for the National Sports Authority, pledged the authority’s support. “Athletes remain highly valued,” he said, “and we will collaborate with the newly sworn-in executives to revamp athletics in the region.”
Organizers said the athletes body aims to create clear pathways for athletes to access training, exposure and competition, and called for commitment and collaboration from government agencies, private partners, educational institutions and local communities to sustain the work.
The launch marks a new phase for athletics in the Upper West Region, one that officials hope will produce more competitors for national teams and provide a stronger platform for youth development.
