South Sudan football team [Photo | File]
By Gabriel Mayom
JUBA, 24 May 2012 [Gurtong] - The State Minister for Sports, Culture and Heritage Baba Medan Konyi announced that sports development centres will be established across the state’s eleven counties.
“In collaboration with non-governmental organisations working in the state, we will construct sports centres for the youth in various counties including Bor, Uror, Nyirol, Akobo and Pibor”, he said.
He added that the government seeks to use sport to unite the youth and keep them occupied in the highly volatile state.
“Instead of engaging in cattle rustling and other forms of violence, the youth will be expected to utilise their energy in sports and other development activities”, he said.
He pledged the government’s support for the involvement of girls in sporting activities.
Konyi at the same time advised the youth to support the state government, saying the inclusion of the youth in the newly-reconstituted state cabinet was a sign of the crucial role played by the youth in the state affairs.
“Now that the youth are in the state cabinet, I appeal to the youth to feel part of the government and work towards development”, he said.
The newly-reconstituted state cabinet has the youth heading the ministries of Law
Enforcement, Physical Infrastructure and Sports, Culture and Heritage.