Hohoe, (V/R) June 24, GNA - The Volta Regional Chairman of the Schools and Colleges Sports Federation, Mr Musah Yamba Issahaku, has urged corporate bodies to support government in providing requisite sponsorship packages to school sports to make it more competitive and rewarding.

He said that even the business of the corporate bodies is to maximize profits to their advantage they should consider including some level of social responsibility to their goals by supporting sports development at the school level. Mr Issahaku was speaking to the GNA Sports at the opening of the weeklong 35th Volta Region Annual Super-Zonal Schools and Colleges Sports Festival at the Hohoe E. P. Senior High School sports oval (HEPSS) at Hohoe.

Six zones made up of South, Central, Lower North, Upper North, Mid-South and North would competing for honours in athletics, volleyball, cross-country, table tennis, soccer, basketball and handball.

The best behaved zone and the one with the highest trophy will earn the privilege of representing the Region at the Inter-Regional contest slated for Sunyani later in the year. Mr Issahaku said sponsorship of sports should be expanded to include other sporting events just as is being offered to the Premier football league so that most of the schools and students who lacked the requisite sporting kits and sometimes compete bare-footed are assisted to develop their talents.

He called on parents, past students and multinational corporate businesses to assist in rejuvenating sports at the lower levels, where talents abound. The Reverend Samuel A. Amankwa, Volta Regional Director of Education advised the competitors and officials to be guided by the principles of self-control and direction to ensure the success of the Festival.

"Exercise restraint in speech and gesture since any miscalculation can engineer hooliganism and indiscipline and mar the success and conduct of the game, Rev Amankwa said. He called for the inculcation of a sense of discipline, honesty, morality and integrity to enhance greater opportunities for self-actualization since such virtues in sports would go a long way in contributing to the improvement of the socio-economic development of the human being.

Meanwhile, in an opening football match, Northern zone represented by Hohoe E. P. SHS beat Mid-South's Sogakope SHS by 5-4 on penalties after the two sides had tied 1-1 after regulation time. In athletics, Master Prosper Awasiame of Kpando Technical SHS (KPANTEC) won the boys 1,500 metres race in a time of 4min: 04seconds. He was followed by Joshua Tagoe of Vakpo SHS and Stephen Landzo of Mafi-Kumasi SHS in the second and third positions.

In the girls segment, Evelyn Ntaba of Krachi SHS came first in a time of 5 minutes flat with Celestine Ahu of KPANTEC and Leticia Budu of Akatsi Secondary Technical coming in second and third, respectively.