Tema, July 20, GNA -This year's Inter-Ports Sports Festival of the Ghana Navy opened o n Monday at the Eastern Naval Command, with a call on stakeholders in Sports to develop lesser known sporting activities.

Rear Admiral Matthew Quashie, Chief of the Naval Staff, said participants in those sporting activities would then be in a position to bring glory and honours to the nation.

In all three teams are participating in the five-day competition.

They are a combined team from the Navy Headquarters in Accra and the Eastern Naval Command in Tema; Fleet from Sekondi and the Ghana Navy Store Depot in Takoradi; and Headquarters Western Naval Command, Naval Base, Navy Trade Training School and Naval Docleyard Complex, all in Sekondi.

The teams would be competing in nine sporting disciplines, namely, Football, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Basketball and Tug of War. The rest are Handball, Boxing, Athletics and Lawn Tennis.

Rear Admiral Quashie said his vision for the Ghana Navy "is to develop a team of well-trained and highly motivated personnel capable of discharging the mission of the Navy in an effective and efficient manner."

He said this would be achievable only when personnel were physically fit at all times.

He commended the Ghana Navy's Football Team the Dolphins, for gaining promotion from the second division into the first division league and expressed the hope that the club would train hard to qualify for the premier league in the not too distant future.

Rear Admiral Quashie assured the teams representing the Navy in the various competitions of his outfit's support and assistance to enable them win laurels for the Ghana Armed Forces.

He urged the participating teams to compete healthily and fairly, and expressed the hope that after the festival, new talents would be unearthed to raise a formidable team to represent the Ghana Navy in future competitions.

He thanked Provident Life assurance Company for its contribution to Sports development in the Navy and especially for its benevolence in sponsoring the construction of a modern play ground for handball and volleyball at the Eastern Naval Command.

Mr Wilson Teye, Managing Director of Provident Life Assurance, said the company was bent on ensuring that communities in which it operated were enriched.

Commodore Albert Kakra Addison, Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, said the competition would not only help build teamwork in the Navy, but would also foster "spirit de corps" among personnel of the participating teams.