The 29th edition of the Inter-Regional Schools and Colleges Sports Festival officially opened on Monday in Wa with a call on contingents to exhibit high level of discipline to ensure the success of the competition.

The competition brought together contingents from second cycle institutions from the 10 regions under the auspices of the Ghana Schools and Colleges Sports Federation of the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education.

The participants would be competing in various sporting disciplines including soccer, volleyball, handball, hockey, table tennis, badminton, netball, cross country and athletics.

There are 19 trophies to compete for by both boys and girls of the competitions.

Addressing the opening ceremony at the Wa Sports Stadium, Mr Alex Kyeremeh, a Deputy Minister of Education, said sports has become so important to the extent that it is now being used to determine which country has superior men and women.

He therefore underscored the need to pay particular attention in grooming the young ones if indeed Ghana wants to have some of these superior men and women in order to be recognised worldwide.

Mr Kyeremeh who is also the Member of Parliament for Techiman North, said government is therefore committed to promote sports at all levels and among all institutions in order to unearth more talents that would be nurtured to the benefit of the state.

The Deputy Minister also advised the contingents to concentrate on the core business of the competition and keep away from drugs, sexual immorality and all substances purported to enhance performance to ensure a free and fair competition.

Mr Kyeremeh commended Nestle Ghana Limited for supporting the organisation of the event, noting that such support is what government needs from corporate Ghana to ensure development in all areas.

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister said sports development is an important area of human resource, reiterating government preparedness to commit more resources to the sector for improved youth participation in soccer and athletics.

“We have all come to agree that sports men and women help to sell a nation faster than any investment. Many countries are reaping huge dividends from the development of sports today,” he said.

The Regional Minister reminded the contingents that good sports men always kept to the rules of the game and doing the right thing at the right time and urged them to inculcate such qualities into their daily lives so that they would grow to become obedient adults.

He announced that the region had tourists’ sites such as the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary, the Wa Naa’s Palace, the Mushroom rock in Jirapa, the Gwollu Slave Defense Walls and some smock weaving centres and urged the people to take advantage and find time to visit before leaving the region.

Upper West Region beat Western Region 4 – 2 on penalties in the opening match after scoring 1 – 1 at the end of 90 minutes.