President John Agyekum Kufuor has called on the security services to maintain a corps experienced sportsmen who could be trained as instructors for the various sporting disciplines in schools throughout the country.
He said this would promote the government's aim of pursuing different sports aimed at developing an "all-round youth with sound mind in good bodies".
President Kufuor made the call at the opening of this year's Security Services Sports Association (SESSA) Games in Accra on Monday.
Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Ghana Prisons Service and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) are taking part in the one-week games involving soccer, volleyball, athletics, hockey, Tug-Of-War, basketball and handball.
Stanbic Bank is the major sponsor of the games under the theme, "Enhancing closer unity through sports".
President Kufuor said soccer was a national passion as was the entire African continent and "Ghana 2008" was a great opportunity for the country to showcase "our national strength coming shortly at the heels of our Golden Jubilee celebrations" and expressed the hope that the people would rally to make the tournament memorable for all.
He commended the security services for the role they had played in sports development by providing about 90 percent of the sportsmen and women in the various national teams including hockey, handball, basketball and volleyball.
President Kufuor reminded the participants to adopt good life styles through sports, exercising and dietary habits as a way of preventing diseases like diabetes and hypertension prevalent in the society.
Lt-Gen. J B Danquah, Chairman of the Security Services Sports Committee (SESSCO), appealed to the government to assist the Committee to construct a permanent secretariat to facilitate administrative work.
In the opening soccer match CEPS defeated Ghana Armed Forces 3-1.
Source: GNA
