Nkawkaw (E/R), Aug. 20, -- The Twenty-Eighth Annual Eastern Regional Basic Schools Sports Festival opened yesterday at Nkawkaw. About 1,155 athletes from the 15 districts in the region will compete in athletics, football, volleyball and table tennis, among others, in the five-day festival to select a regional team for national competitions. In an address read on behalf of the Eastern Regional Minister, Miss Patience Adow by Mr. Adu Boateng, New Juabeng Municipal Chief Executive, the minister called on the trainers to assist the participants to develop their talents. Miss Adow advised the officials to exhibit a high degree of fair play to ensure a keen competition devoid of hooliganism. In his welcoming address, the District Director of Education, Mr. Godwin Agyepong appealed to sports authorities to provide the necessary machinery to ensure sports promotion in the region. Mr. and Mrs.Etwi Barimah both golfers and citizens of Nkawkaw presented two silver cups, worth 5,000 cedis, to the organisers for outstanding athletes in athletics. Kwahu South district drew 1-1 with New Juabeng Municipality in the opening football match. Among those present were Mr Okerchire Adusa MP for Nkawkaw constituency, Dr. Francis Osafo-Mensah MP for Mpraeso and Mr. Eugene Agyepong for Abetifi.