Wa, Feb. 20, GNA - The Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaqu= e Salia has tasked members of the newly inaugurated Upper West Regional Sport= s Council Board to give hope to the youth to develop their talents by encouraging them to aspire to the top.

"You cannot fail the discerning people of the Region but to ensure t= hat the untapped raw talents out there are unearthed, nurtured and groomed to replace the past heroes from the region such as Paul Hermit, Malik Jabir an= d Balanoe and Baba Yara."

Alhaji Salia therefore urged the members to have constant consultation= s with opinion leaders, sports enthusiasts, District Chief Executives and the Coordinating Council and other stakeholders on issues concerning sports development, promotion and its organisation. The Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of the Board, reminded the members of the challenges and impediments that await them in their desire to give hope to sports development in the region and urged them to be courageous and transparent i= n their dealings. Mr Iddrisu B. Ahmed, Upper West Regional Sports Development Officer, noted that sports in the Region had gone through trying and turbulence time= s and cannot boast of unearthing any potential of the youth that is abundant in the grassroots.

He assured sports loving people of the Region that with the inauguratio= n of a Board, all was not lost yet and promised to bring back the 93Old good days" when the Region chalked successes in sporting competitions. Alhaji Taminu Zaid, the Regional Coordinating Director of the Regional Coordinating Council is the Chairman of the Board.