By Alpha Abu
An upbeat Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai of the National Sports Authority (NSA) has told representatives of dozens of sporting disciplines in Sierra Leone that his institution will be so innovative and focused that they were going to embarrass sports enthusiasts with development initiatives.
The NSA Executive Director was speaking at a day’s consultative meeting at the Freetown City Council conference hall yesterday where the authority hosted the sports officials to brainstorm on already drafted regulations that will see the establishment of a National Sports Development Foundation for Sierra Leone.
Abdulai who was appointed to the office a couple of months ago, said the Government has made a commitment of 10 billion old Leones to the basket fund, acknowledging the competing priorities of the government, hence the need to appreciate such a support.
He said NSA officials have met Embassies and solicited for logistical support, asserting his desire to see a well-resourced sports development foundation that will be better- placed to finance the undertakings of the various sporting disciplines in the country.
But Abdulai was forthright in his aversion to intra-association conflicts, corruption, nepotism in the composition of executives of sports associations, and lack of accountability.
He also warned against tampering of constitution and encouraged all to be transparent, accountable and for their different sports associations to manifest a national outlook in the composition of their executive membership.
He said associations are going to be assessed and that those that do not meet the benchmarks could be denied of support.
He said NSA will not hesitate to de-register any association that is found culpable. He said a similar gathering will be arranged in the coming weeks that will discuss issues related to anti-doping, Court of Arbitration for Sport, and national regulations, among others.
He used the occasion to pay tribute to the Cricket, Scrabble, Karate and Gymnastics Associations for winning gold and other medals in their recent international outings.
Sports Minister Augusta Koroma Teima in her statement stressed the commitment of President Julius Maada Bio’s government to the advancement of the youth by supporting sports development.
She admonished the different associations to entertain teamwork and unity.
NSA Board Chairman- former sports minister, Ibrahim Nyelenkeh in his address stressed the need to make the basket fund for sports development a viable and beneficial entity. He spoke of the numerous medals some disciplines attained during his tenure as minister of sports, and reassured the gathering of the board’s support of the NSA in developing sports in the country.
Attendees later went into the full business of going through the drafted regulations for the sports development foundation- a process that was led by Steven Keifala of the Participation and Sustainable Sports Department of NSA.
Establishment and Governance of a Trust Fund, institutional roles and responsibilities, financial provisions, offences and penalties were the other topics discussed in later sessions.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (21/06/24)
