Tanga — THE Tanga City Council has announced plans to use sports as a key tool to steer young people away from drug abuse and other risky behaviours.

Tanga City Mayor, Mr Mustafa Seleboss, revealed this recently while officiating at a Grassroots Under-15 Soccer Festival organised by the Tanga-based anti-drug organisation, Gift of Hope Foundation, at the Gofu Juu grounds in Nguvumali Ward, Tanga City.

The festival, according to Gift of Hope Foundation Director, Mr Said Bandawe, aims to provide awareness education to young people on the dangers of drug abuse while encouraging them to use their time effectively by developing talents in sports.

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The event is being implemented under the Tanga Yetu Initiative, with financial support from the Switzerlandbased Botnar Foundation.

Other organisations supporting the festival include Kijana Togora, Michezo Plus and the Tanga Youth Talents Association (TAYOTA), which are also implementing youth-focused projects under the Tanga Yetu Initiative with funding from the Botnar Foundation.

Commending Gift of Hope for initiating the programme, Mayor Seleboss called on stakeholders to support efforts aimed at protecting young people from drug abuse, which he described as a growing threat to the country's future workforce.

"This is a major initiative by Gift of Hope to cultivate a sense of refusal to drugs among young people. A fish must be bent when it is young," said the Mayor.

He said the City Council would sit down with stakeholders to develop strategies to reach more youths, including organising regular sports events.

He suggested that such activities could be held every Saturday, stressing the urgent need to establish more football academies, noting that football has become a viable employment opportunity.