Kumasi, July 7, GNA - Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education has stressed the need for sportsmen and women to refrain from performance-enhancing drugs in their chosen careers. He said some renowned athletes have had their careers come to a premature end with their attendant consequences due to their reliance on drugs, warning that performance-enhancing substances in the long term can affect the physical well-being of sportsmen and women.

The Minister said this in a speech read on his behalf at the opening ceremony of the 20th edition of the Milo Schools' Sports Festival at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Monday. Events to be participated in the weeklong Festival include Under-12 Soccer Boys, Under-15 Soccer Girls, Senior High Schools' (SHS) Soccer Boys, Girls' SHS Volleyball and Boys' SHS Basketball with the venues including Kumasi Anglican SHS, Prempeh College, Kumasi Girls' SHS and Kumasi Polytechnic.

Mr Tettey-Enyo explained that sports and discipline are bed fellows and that it behoved on the participants to endeavour to abide by the rules and regulations of the Festival to ensure its success. The Minister praised Nestle Ghana Limited, sponsors of the Festival for setting the pace by coming up with a system of programme management by putting together a number of championships which previously were organized separately.

He was optimistic that such a move was crucial in unearthing future sports men and women for the nation for the development of sports in general.

He was happy to mention that great Ghanaian sportsmen including Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, John Mensah, Harrison Afful and Opoku Agyemang are all products of such School Festivals. Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said as the host Region, the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) would be supportive of the Festival to ensure its success. In the opening Under-15 Girls' soccer match, Ashanti Region whipped Upper East 3-0 with goals from Belinda Anane, Olivia Anokye and Helena Obeng in the 31st, 36th and 46th minutes to ensure victory for Ashanti.