By Buba Gagigo
President Adama Barrow presented separate cheques worth 14.1 million dalasi to the Senior Scorpions, U20 Scorpions teams and the U19 Volleyball team.
The cheques are a reward to the teams for the successes they registered at the continental competitions recently.
President Barrow first presented a cheque of D11.1 million to the Senior National team, another of D2.5 million to the U20 Scorpions and then that of D500, 000 to the Gambia U 19 Volleyball team.
In his remarks, Bakary Y. Badjie, the Minister of Youth and Sports expressed heartfelt gratitude to the president for accepting to grant the audience. He acknowledged that despite previous expenses in sports, the current government’s investment is greater and paying dividends, and thus deserve commendation.
“You never get results, if you don’t invest in Sports and the Government of the Gambia recognises that. That is why we are putting in extra efforts and money to see that our teams get, if not all, but most of the needed things,” he said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
He assured the teams of the Government’s commitment to the development of Sports and empowering the youth of the country saying, “we are not only going to focus on one sport, but all sporting disciplines”.
Minister Badjie added that all sporting activities are important and can generate huge income like any other profession.
Also in attendance was Hamat Bah, Minister of Tourism and Culture who reiterated the government’s readiness to invest in the development of sports and the President’s special interest in ensuring adequate resources are gathered for the AFCON next year.
The President of the GFF Lamin Kabba Bajo and 1stVice President of Gambia Volleyball Association, Lamin Jammeh spoke at the event.
The players, coaches, technical teams, Presidents and officials of the Gambia Football Federation and Gambia Volleyball Association as well as the National Sports Council staff among others witnessed the presentation, according to the statement.