MP for Zebilla donates sport kits and cash to four teams

Zebilla (UE), June 28, GNA - The Member of Parliament (MP) for Zebilla Constituency in the Upper East Region, Mr Cletus Avoka on Sunday donated sports kits worth 1,080 Ghana cedis plus 12,000 Ghana Cedis to four Second Division Clubs in the constituency.

The teams, Toende United FC, Lamboya Youngsters FC, Benaba Peace Makers FC and Tanga Young Stars FC were each presented with sets of jerseys and two footballs each.

Each of the teams was also presented with 300 Ghana Cedis to facilitate their activities.

Mr Avoka who presented the kits to the beneficiaries at Zebilla, stated that he was committed to sports development because it had a positive influence on youth development.

He therefore entreated the teams to take their training and matches seriously, adding that football has a lot of economic gains and could open a lot of opportunities for those who would take it seriously as their future career.

"You must exhibit high sense of discipline by respecting the instructions of your management, coaches and the referees during matches and you must also be moderate in your lifestyle".

The MP who is also the Majority Leader in Parliament also impressed upon the players to go beyond exhibiting discipline on the pitch but o ensure that it reflects in all their endeavours since discipline was the hallmark to development of people and the nation.

Whilst commending the teams for working hard despite some constraints, he appealed to each of them to aspire higher to get to the Premier division since the Region has no club in Premier League.

Mr Avoka pledged to liaise with the District Assembly to provide more sport equipment to the teams and promised to ensure that the District gets a befitting stadium for their training and matches and to enable the Clubs benefit from the gate proceeds to support their activities.

Azure Baba Zakaria, Secretary of the Toende United FC, said on of the challenges facing the league was financial constraints which makes it difficult for the management of the clubs to camp the teams to prepare for matches as well as high transportation cost and paying of bonuses to the players.

He also indicated that lack of sports kits such as jerseys, footballs, nets and keepers gloves always affected their training, stressing that some of the teams often use the same jersey throughout their matches for both home and away.

Zakaria commended the MP for supporting the clubs and appealed to other citizens to come to their aid by supporting them with the needed sports equipment trio unearth the talents of the youth in the area, adding that the matches have gone a long way in helping to reduce social vices among the youth.