Tamale, June 14, GNA - Mr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Northern Regional Minister has called on sports administrators and football enthusiasts to help rejuvenate sports in Second Cycle Schools. He said it is regrettable that the country's present performance in sporting activities both locally and on the international scene was not encouraging adding that, "the only way therefore to lift Ghana out of the doldrums is to develop and nurture the talents of the youth right from the grassroots level".

The Deputy Minister made the call at the opening ceremony of the 29th Northern Region Schools and Colleges Sports Festival in Tamale on Monday. The weeklong event will have the schools competing for honours in soccer, handball, track and field events as well as other sports disciplines.

Mr Adam announced that plans were far advanced to fence and at least develop one playing field in each of the 18 Districts of the Region while a sports complex is to constructed to whip up the interest of the youth in sporting activities. The Deputy Minster lauded the schools and athletes who took part in the recently held sports festival at Koforidua in the Eastern Region for their outstanding performance. He entreated Headmasters of the various secondary schools to help promote the teaching and learning of physical education so that the Region could produce talented sports men and women for the nation.

Mr. Adam regretted that the numerous disputes and conflicts in the Region had gone a long way in dividing the people and said the government would put a lot of premium on sporting activities as a way of uniting them and being each others' keeper. Alhaji Iddrisu Adam, the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive advised participating schools to abstain from anti-social vices as well as pre-marital sex and rather concentrate on their God-given talents to win laurels for their respective schools and the Region. He cautioned the athletes to desist from any act of immorality since the end result of such adventures could be detrimental to their well-being.

In the opening football match, Ghana Secondary, Pong Tamale and Kalpohin Secondary Schools raised a team constituting "Zone Two" to beat the combine team of Zone Three made up Northern School Of Business, Vittin Secondary/Technical, Tamale Islamic Science Secondary and Dabokpa Technical/Vocational Schools 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out.