Tamale, Feb. 25, GNA - Mr Charles Bintin, Deputy Northern Regional Minister on Tuesday said that the panacea for the nation to regain its past glory in soccer and sports as a whole requires the integration and involvement of other players from the other regions, especially the north in the national teams.

He explained that players of northern origin had the potential and skills to perform creditably but due to the poverty afflicting the area it was difficult for the players to be selected into the national teams no matter how good they performed due to their inability to influence their way.

Mr Bintin said this at a day's public forum on 100 years of Ghana football in Tamale organised by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and attended by retired footballers, Physical Education (PE) organizers, Referees, the media as well as members of the public. The aim of the forum was to solicit support and gather concerns of the public as to how Ghana football could be revamped to regain its past glory.

Mr Bintin said, "It is sad that no single player from RTU, which is the pride of the north is found in any of the national teams" and stressed that the earlier the sporting authority took the matter seriously the better for the good image of Ghana football.

He said it was also necessary for managements of football to embark on talent hunt in all the regions with the aim of unearthing the potential in the youth to train and prepare them adequately for national assignments as a way of uplifting the sinking image of Ghana football. More

Mr Karimu Starboy, a former player of the Senior National Team and RTU expressed regret that retired footballers in the country were not given the necessary recognition and motivation in their old age.

He said " that government should not wait until we are dead before epitaphs are printed on our tombs and we should be accorded the due respect and honour now before we die".

Starboy gave instances where some old footballers were finding it difficult to make a living with some of them becoming lotto agents and that it was high time the situation was reversed to give meaning to football in the country.

He said due to the ill treatment being given to old footballers the young ones were discouraged to play for the nation but rather rush for greener pastures outside the country despite the poor contract packages offered to them.

The retired player appealed to the government to revive the National Sports Festival games and extend it even to the district level so as to unearth talents of the youth to play for the country and to position itself in the rightful place in contemporary soccer.

Alhaji Adam Munkaila, Vice Chairman of RTU said lack of sporting facilities and equipment had been the main problem in the development of football and other sporting activities in the North and called on the government to treat the north equally as other regions of the country.

New stadium to be constructed in Tamale to host CAN 2008 Tamale, Feb 25, stadium in Tamale as part of preparation towards the bid for CAN 2008. He said the Ministry had submitted a Bill on "Sports Trust Fund" to Cabinet for study before it is sent to Parliament for approval.

Mr Aggrey was speaking at a day's public forum on 100 years of Ghana Football at Tamale organized by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

Retired footballers, physical education organizers, referees, the media and the general public attended the Forum.

The deputy Minister said the Sports Trust Fund is aimed at giving permanent and sustained funds to the Ministry for its sports development in the country.

Mr Aggrey said the NPP government was anxious in developing sports throughout the country and that everything possible was been done to revamp Ghana sports so that the country would regain its past glory. Members who accompanied the minister to address the forum included Revered Osei Kofi, National Coordinator for National Games and Mr Ebo Quansah, President of SWAG.

During an open forum, participants called on government to give the necessary funding for the early completion of the Kaladan Park since its renovation was going at a slow pace.

Others also called on government to speed up efforts to build a new stadium for Tamale since there were already plans for such a facility indicating that the NPP government will be leaving the north out in provision of sports infrastructure if it was developed. 25 Feb 04