By Bockarie Allieu
FREETOWN, Oct. 11 (SALONE TIMES) – The executive of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) on Friday signed an agreement with Africell to let the Mobile Company in Sierra Leone be their official sponsors.
The sponsorship package covers for both fans of the 2022 AFCON competition and for the premier league.
Before signing the MOU, SLFA President Thomas Daddy Brima said they knocked the doors of several business houses for sponsorship.
He said Africell came out with an answer which they were happy with. The president went on that what Africell has done is an indelible mark. This, he said shows that Africell loves Sierra Leone and they do care for the welfare of their customers.
He went on that they asked Africell to sponsor both the premier league and to provide the AFCON supporters package. Without wasting time, he said Africell agreed to provide Le700M for the AFCON supporters and agreed to provide $120,000 every year in five years for the premier league.
But the FA President said he asked them to cut it down to four years which is the number of years for a term of office. He said he asked for four years because he is not sure the other president that will take over from him will understand the sponsorship well.
Apart from the above money, the management of Africell also agreed to buy some of the replica of Leone Stars jerseys from the FA which will also generate more funds the FA.
The president told the media that the signing of the MOU has created a new relationship between them and the Africell Mobile Company.
He outlined to the media their immediate preparations for the AFCON Competition in Cameroun. In the preparation, he said they have line up three friendly matches in Morocco against Morocco, South Sudan and Gambia.
He went on that the coach will use the invited foreign base players against Morocco but say they will be using home base players in a friendly match against Tunisia.
Speaking on behalf of Africell, the Cooperate Manager Joe Abass Bangura said Africell is not new in sponsoring football in Sierra Leone and sports in general.
He went on that when the rebel war came to an end they organize a peace football competition between Leone Stars and the national of Guinea.
Beside the peace match, he said when they gave their first sponsorship to the premier league, they also went on to sponsor some of the clubs in the league both in Freetown and in the provinces.
They also motivated the players to perform well by giving cash prizes for the man of the match awards. He went on that it is their corporate responsibilities to share their profit with their customers.
Africell, he said will do more for sports and in return Sierra Leoneans should continue to let Africell be first choice of their communication.
