By Saio Marrah
Minister of Sports, Ibrahim Nyelenkeh has called on the Premier League Board to seek sponsorship from the private sector, saying the running of the game is not the responsibility of Government.
Nyelenkeh made this statement at the handing over of a document to the board to enable it access the sum of Two million four hundred and sixty one thousand and three hundred Leones (Le 2, 461,300) new currency that government has already been sent to its account.
He disclosed that President Julius Maada Bio had to instruct for actualization of the disbursement of the money for the running of the premiere league.
“I just want to encourage the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) to keep engaging corporate houses, other enterprises. This is what other associations do,” the minister stated
He added: “Make sure you don’t all the time depend on government to run the national league. That mandate rests on your shoulders. You’re charged with the responsibility to run football in Sierra Leone, no other association, but SLFA.
He said as a government they should only be complementing financing of the game. He noted that there are people out there that are ready to sponsor football and encouraged the premier league board to go the extra mile in seeking funding from other corporate houses to add to what government has provided for the running of the league.
In his reaction, SLFA President, Thomas Daddy Brima, thanked President Bio for supporting football in the country. He acknowledged that government has gone beyond its limit in providing funds,noting that football is a business they intend to use to bring everybody together in the country.
He also noted that they have done their best as an association to create jobs for youths over the short period of his tenure, claiming many youths are building their own houses.
He also noted that the funds for the running of the league are for the board, and that SLFA merely supervises how the money is being spent.
Commenting on the idea of seeking funds from private sponsors, he said they might have the idea, but the infighting in the football has driven sponsors away.
He noted that if they continue with the same infights, sponsors will definitely not come.
On another note, Brima boasted that Sierra Leone will surely qualify for the next African Nations Cup.
Premiere league board member and Head of Media and Marketing, Abdul Karim Kargbo on the issue of seeking sponsorship from private partners said they had sent 41 letters to different industries that include telecommunication companies, in that regard.
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