Odumase Krobo, (E/R), Aug. 10, GNA - The 15th Eastern Regional Annual Super Zonal Sports Competition for Second-Cycle Schools, opened at the Manya Krobo Senior High School (SHS) in the Lower Manya Krobo District on Tuesday.

The competition is being held with the aim of selecting the best team to represent the Region at the upcoming National Sports Festival in Tamale next month.

Schools from Akuapem, Asamankese, Kibi, Koforidua, Kwahu, Akyem Oda and Somanya Zones are taking part in the competition.

The various disciplines being competed for include, football, athletics, volleyball, table tennis, hockey, high jump, triple jump, shot putt, hurdles and handball.

Mr Isaac Agbo-Tetteh, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Lower Manya Krobo, in a welcoming address, observed that sports plays a positive purpose among the people especially the youth and there was therefore the need to promote it to ensure peace and unity in the country.

He expressed the hope that the Sports Festival would unearth talents that would steer sporting achievements in the Region and the nation as a whole.

Mr Agbo-Tetteh said that government was committed to developing sports to serve as a tool to unite the people and help improve the health status of the participants.

Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, Eastern Regional Deputy Minister, said the Festival was organized to bring out useful sports men and women who would in turn help to promote peace and development in the country.

He said government’s commitment to sports had led to the introduction of Sports Capitation Grant which was geared towards promotion of sports at the schools’ level.

Mr Terlabi said sports enhances personality development and that it was through sports that stars like Abedi Pele, Stephen Appiah, Asamoah Gyan, Azuma Nelson, Michael Essien and Aziz Ansah were discovered.

He called on stakeholders to play their respective roles towards the promotion of sports in the country, adding that the Games were organized to develop the people’s capacity and to interact with each other and should not be used to create chaos and mayhem in their communities.

The Deputy Minister charged the students to exhibit absolute discipline throughout the Festival and also urged the officials to display the highest degree of fairness in their officiating.