Konongo (Ash), July 29, GNA - The 34th Annual Ashanti Regional Inter-District Basic Education Sports Festival has opened at Konongo with a call on the youth to avoid hooliganism and other acts of indiscipline.

Mr Thomas Osei-Bonsu, Asante Akim North Municipal Chief Executive in an address said, "The country has no place for people who just for reasons of sports fanaticism become violent and resort to vandalizing property." Twenty-One Districts are competing in four major sporting disciplines of athletics, hand ball, soccer and table tennis. Mr Osei-Bonsu said the prominence given to the teaching and leaning of physical education under the Education Reform of the Ghana Education Service shows the importance that Government attaches to sports development.

He said it was his hope that the Festival would not only help to unearth sports talents but also afford the education authorities the opportunity to evaluate the practical teaching of physical education. Mr Akwasi Amoako Amoantwi, Headmaster of Konongo Odumase Senior High School (SHS), noted that children were confronted with lots of challenges including alcoholism, narcotic drug abuse, occultism, computer fraud and other vices.

He therefore hailed the organisation of the Festival, which, he noted would engage the children in sporting disciplines that would take them away from such negative practices. 29 July 09