By Mohamed Foday Conteh
The Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has provided Le 48,945,595,861 (Forty-eight billion, nine hundred and forty-five million, five hundred and ninety-five thousand and eight hundred and sixty-one cents) Leones to the country’s national football team Leone Stars as financial support in preparation for next year’s African Cup of Nations (AfCON) tournament in Cameroon.
The financing package will cover monthly training allowances, six international friendly matches, overseas camping and the 2021 AfCON Competition.
The finance ministry said over 1 billion Leones of the provided sum will be used as payment for monthly training to players and members of the technical team.
About 17 billion Leones will cover cost for international friendly matches to keep the team in shape.
The government said that just over 30 billion Leones will be used for the AfCON Competition next year January.
The MoF said the 48 billion Leones is addition to an earlier funding of just over 12 billion Leones provided for the National team for earlier friendly matches.
About 6 out of the 12 billion Leones was used to finance the three friendly matches played by Leone Stars in Morocco about a couple of months ago.
The remaining almost 5 and a half billion Leones is being used for two more friendly matches in Turkey.
On Saturday, Leone Stars lost the first of two friendly matches in Turkey to the Comoros by two goals to nil.
The Comoros will be making their first ever appearance at AfCON.
Sierra Leone qualified for the first time in 25 years after defeating the Squirrels of Benin by a goal to nil in Conakry, Guinea.
The qualification saw them line up with defending champions, Algeria; Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea.
The National team will play their first AfCON match next year against Algeria on the 11th January followed by another derby against Ivory Coast on the 16th January. Their final group match will be against Equatorial Guinea on the 20th January.
Copyright © Politico Online 15/11/21
