BY JOSEPHINE W. LAGAWO
232NEWS, FREETOWN
The Ministry of Sports has presented NLe 10m budget for the fiscal year 2024 to officials of the ministry of finance on the ongoing bilateral budget discussion held at the Ministry of Finance Conference room at George Street in Freetown.
The Minister of Sports Augussta James Thema said that they want to develop sports activities in the country for various sporting disciplines for which they need to allocate funds to not only football but the other sports.
Madam Tema informed journalists that she wants to thank the President for her appointment in that ministry, noting that she is working with all the staff in the ministry so that she can succeed.
She went on to say that the ministry is working with the President’s Big five and that in terms of job creation, sports will create jobs for the youths in this country, so that why they are asking for NLe 10M.
She noted that they also have lot of activities and that presently the national team is on friendly match and the ministry has to support them in terms of funds.
According to her, the stadium is under renovation when they finished with it, they would have to hand it over it to private entity that is going to run the stadium so that it will generate more money.
She revealed that for the appointment of coach for National Football, it is the responsibility of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) but insisted that they must follow due process and that officials of the National Sport Authority (NSA), the Ministry of Sports and SLFA should be on the panel to interview the coach.
“If they did not do the right thing, you need to question SLFA,” she maintained.
The Minister of sport highlighted the challenges at the ministry, noting that they did not have enough vehicles, insufficient motor cycles for efficient implementation of ministry‘s activities, insufficient and inadequate working tools such as computers, photocopiers, printers etc.
He explained that the ministry wants to construct and rehabilitate six stadia in Magburaka, Tonkolili district, Tihun, Bonthe district, Parade ground; and Approved School, Attouga Mini Stadium and Lumley playing field all in Freetown.
