By Reporter
Internal security Permanent Secretary Dr Raymond Omolo has challenged youths to exploit sports talent for economic empowerment.
Omolo asked the youths to involve in sport tournaments to enhance the fight against teen pregnancies and HIV infections.
Omollo is supporting such sporting activities during this December long holiday for the youths to eradicate drug abuse and HIV infections.
Omolo wants to make the target group busy and refrain from engaging in social ills.
Through his representative and coordinator of the activities Michael Odari said sports tournaments was one of the activities they want to reduce idleness associated with people who indulge in drug abuse.
According to this year’s report by the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC), Nyanza counties such as Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya and Migori lead in HIV prevalence.
It is reported that the high prevalence is attributed to the social behavior of the people living in the beaches.
National government through the National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) is also undertaking its awareness campaign across Nyanza region during the holiday.
“The sporting activities we promote among the youths and adolescents will enable them to avoid idleness. We’re keeping at bay the social ills the children can indulge in because they idle,” Odari said.
Speaking on Friday when he donated football kits to Wachara Karungu and Uloya football clubs at Wachara Karungu primary school in Nyatike constituency, Migori County, Odari said the program is also meant to nurture talents of the youth.
In the program, they are giving out jerseys, footballs, captain tags, goal posts among others.
More than 30 football clubs across the four Nyanza counties have benefited.
“The focus is also on talent development among the youths. Some talented footballers have been exposed and will be linked to major football clubs in the country,” he added.
Wachara football team manager Boaz Okech and his Uloya counterpart Joseph Okumu argued that provision of the kits will motivate the youths in the area.
He said business activities will also thrive during football games.
“We have people who will just be attracted by the new football jerseys the clubs have received. Many youths will come and watch games as these reduce idleness,” Okech said.
Okumu reiterated the significance of such football games in the fishing community. He said they are also in support of the ban of disco matanga during the December holiday.
“Let parents be vigilant and monitor their children during the long December holiday. They should also encourage their children to engage in sports to avoid idleness,” he said.
