The Inspector of Youth and Sports in Yei River County (YRC) Mr. Kujo Beneth Edward in an interviews has urged the National Government and concern organizations in the country to use sports in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Kujo said that promotions of sport activities will engage the concentration of youths, which will not let them chance to go for night disco’s or involved in drugs.
“The youth are idol thats why they go out for night dance, which is risk to their lives as others end in sexual games with prostitutes on the streets” Kujo confirmed. According to Kujo, youth who are involved in sports have less time for night disco and are always advised not to smoke by their club managers.
Kujo noted that the engagement of youths on sports will also reduces cases of high blood pressure and rate of crimes in the county.
He called upon the talented youths to build up strong careers, as sports is a big source of employment today. “the development of sports will even reduce issues of unemployment” Kujo was quoted.
Kujo assured the youths that Yei county authority has put sports among its top priorities. He said that Yei is second to Juba when it comes to sport activities in South Sudan.
“Our government is working to boast sports activities, we have already acquired three football grounds, their construction program are finished” Kujo disclosed. He also confirmed that sports is a uniting agent that if developed.
He mentioned that Yei County is working to introduce other games like tennis, boxing, basketball, crickets as some youths will also pick interest on them.
He appealed to the state Government to support Yei county in achieving its mission of making sports a source of employment.
Meanwhile the chairman of Yei football Association Mr John James said that Yei Football Association is lacking support from either the government or Non Governmental Organizations.
He said that the youths in Yei also lack training grounds to practice sports. He disclosed that their association also lack qualified referees which sometimes cause grievances during tournaments. He urged the government to come up with programs to training referees and club managers who are currently on the ground performing their duties without being trained.
Duku Samuel a coach of Rockland Football club has said that the government has not improved sports facilities despite of the promises being made.
“We are expecting the government to easy and promote sports through improvement of playing grounds, distribution of playing shoes and uniforms to the clubs as we still don’t have capacity” Duku was quoted.
He added that most of the clubs in Yei lack sponsors which makes them difficult to afford sports facilities like uniform, playing shoes and even enter big competitions in the region.
He urged International, national companies and private sectors to invest in sports. According to Duku , sports is a big investment sector in the world, South Sudan is known in the world of sports even before it becomes a nation, late Manut Bol of Chicago Bulls and Deng Lual are the great South Sudanese who have labored to raise South Sudan in the world of sports. Manut died in 2010, but left legacy.