By Umaru Fofana
Just when football clubs and fans were getting increasingly anxious that this season’s Sierra Leone Premier League would halt, again, amid financial challenges, comes news that the government is to pump billions of leones into the beautiful game.
Sports Minister, Ibrahim Nyellenkeh has told Politico that they have completed paperwork to the finance ministry for the disbursement of Le 1,000,000,000 (one billion leones) to fund the rest of the men’s premier league.
He said they had also requested for the disbursement of Le 1,500,000,000 (one billion and five hundred million leones) to kick-start a nationwide female Premier League for the first time in the country’s history.
“We have always helped with football when we have been reasonably asked to do so”, the minister said.
But the Chairman of the men’s Premier League Board has reacted with mixed feelings.
“We don’t have money to continue the league, so we highly appreciate this move by the government”, said Allieu Vandi.
Sounding ratty, he said the Le 1 billion approved would not see the league through because already they were indebted to various suppliers and debtors in excess of Le 600,000,000, with the league still ongoing.
He said that ideally they would need Le 2, 000, 000, 000 (two billion leones) to conclude the current season.
The Chairman of the female Premier League, Asmaa James, expressed excitement. She said that even though they had requested for Le 2 billion, they should be fine with what had been approved.
Sounding chuffed, she told Politico that 12 clubs would participate in the nationwide contest with each getting funds to be able to participate “and enjoy the game”.
The male league has been fraught with financial challenges causing it to be halted at the end of the first leg last year. It however resumed after the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroun, without an assured funding channel to conclude.
Clubs in Freetown, which make up 13 of the 18 clubs in the league, have been faced with additional funding challenges after the Siaka Stevens Stadium, which played host to their matches was shut down for overhaul.
This has not only affected their gate-takings but most of them have been forced to play their home matches in the provinces due to the unsuitability of the alternative venues in the capital. This has added transport and accommodation costs on the already struggling clubs.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (17/03/22)
