Hohoe, Mar 11 GNA - Mr Cypress K. Otti, Chairman of the Northern Zone Sports and Colleges Federation on Monday urged non-governmental organizations and the private sector to help government develop sporting infrastructure and talents in second cycle schools in the country. He observed that inadequate infrastructure and the lack of financial resources were obstacles militating against the development of budding sporting talents in the second cycle schools. Mr Otti made the appeal at the 18th Inter-Schools and Colleges Sports competition at the Hohoe E.P. Senior High School campus in Hohoe on Monday.

He said the country abounded in natural sporting talents at the second cycle schools level, which when harnessed and nurtured could bring honour and foreign exchange to the country.

A total of 14 Senior High Schools will compete for honours in handball, athletics, cross-country, football, table tennis and basketball in the weeklong sporting fiesta.

The schools are Saint Agatha's Commercial, Have Technical, Hohoe Evangelical Presbyterian (HEPSS), Likpe (LISEC), Saint Mary's Seminary (SMASCO), Jim Bourton Memorial and Leklebi Senior High School. Others are, E. P. Trades Training Centre (EPTTC), Afadzato, Agate (AGASEC), Akpafu, Ve-Community, Ve-Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) and Lolobi ICCES. Mr Otti advised the athletes to avoid drugs, unruly behaviour and other negative tendencies because sports seek to instill self-discipline, healthy living and fair competition geared towards excellence in athletes and teams.

In the handball boy's contest, Agate SHS beat EPTTC by 10 goals to 8 with Lisec upstaging HEPSS, 7-5, in the girls' category. Portia Aworxo of Lisec returned a time of 5min: 35sec: 28 to beat Patience Mensah of Lisec and Rose-Olivia Dugah of Hepss to second and third positions in the 1500m race. The second and third placers returned 5min: 40sec: 08 and 5min; 41sec: 22 respectively. In the boys division, Samuel Deku of SMASCO placed first with a time of 4min: 24sec: 71 with second and third places going to Lawrence Kwakye of Lisec and Richard Bandele of HEPSS who were timed 4min: 25sec: 68 and 4min: 29sec: 87 respectively. 11 March 08