Tamale, Nov. 13, GNA - Four of the Presidential Candidates vying for the presidency on Wednesday gave the assurance that they would place premium in organising Inter-Schools and Colleges Games to improve sports development at the grassroots level in the country if they are given the mandate on the December 7 elections.

All the candidates expressed regret that the schools and colleges competitions were not receiving the needed attention as it used to be, which they recalled had produced talents in athletics, boxing, basketball and soccer but has now been relegated to the background. The four Presidential Candidates who were answering questions in the second and the last 2008 Presidential Debates organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in Tamale on Wednesday, said there was also the need for the private sector to invest in sports development.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said an NPP government led by him would revamp all aspects of sports in the schools by providing the necessary infrastructure.

He said he would involve the private sector in sports development and encourage them to invest in sports, which according to him have a major role to help to further develop sports in the country. Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Presidential Candidate of the Convention People's Party (CPP) said he owns a football team and therefore knows the problems facing teams in the country and would provide the best antidote to solving those problems facing sports in the country when elected as President.

He said a CPP government led by him would start the development of sports from the Nursery level with the provision of Table Tennis tables at all schools and make it compulsory for every child to learn a sport as he or she progresses in age.

Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Flag-bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) expressed regret that the foundations laid by past governments for sports development were abandoned.

He said the problem facing sports in the country was the provision of infrastructure, adding that, "It is sad that every available empty space see people in the haste to build houses. If some of us didn't fight hard the National Hockey pitch around the Tema Station in Accra would have been used for housing projects."

Professor Mills, a one time national hockey player stressed that, "I will not pay lip service to sports development in the country. They say catch them young, and I will ensure that every thing is put in place to ensure that improvement of general sports and athletics start from the schools."

He said an NDC government would offer scholarships to students who would excel in the sporting arena to combine academic work with sports to ensure that talented persons participated in sports. Dr Edward Mahama, Presidential Candidate of the People's National Convention (PNC) said the best way to develop sports was to institute fitness clubs in all schools and reintroduce Physical Education (PE) and to make it one of the requirements for entering high educational institutions of learning. 13 Nov. 08