The government has urged public and private companies, higher learning institutions and schools to put more emphasis on sports as they enhance both physical and mental health and increase efficiency.
DEPUTY Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Elisante ole Gabriel (left), shakes hands with 4Beli Director Gilbert Herman when launching the ‘Bagamoyo Historical Marathon’ over the weekend. Looking on is Bagamoyo District Administrative Officer John Mahale.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports Elisante ole Gabriel, made the call in Bagamoyo over the weekend when launching the newly established ‘Bagamoyo Historical Marathon’ scheduled for July 5, this year.
He said that sports are vital in many ways as they enhance brain performance and efficiency and also bring solidarity to the society and countries. “Sports enhance physical and mental health and enable people to excel in various activities including education.
Therefore, taking part in sports is not a wastage of time as it stimulates knowledge,” Ole Gabriel said. “That’s why the government urges people, especially parents, not to ignore sports activities or forbid their children to participate in sports,” he added.
On health, the Deputy Permanent Secretary said people who engage in sports escape from Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, high and low blood pressure, to mention but a few.
On his side, the Director General of 4Beli, the event’s organising firm, Deogratius Soka, said apart from the first ever marathon to be held in Bagamoyo town promoting and developing sports and tourism of the historical town, it is also meant to encourage better health in the society.
“Due to the significant increase of deaths caused by NCDs, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare insist on people to engage in sports activities, because the number of patients due to lack of physical activities will reach 70 per cent in 2020 while deaths caused by NCDs will reach 80 per cent worldwide,” he said.
Source Tanzania Daily News