The
Gambia Football Federation has officially commissioned the FIFA-funded
artificial playing turf constructed in Jarra Soma over the weekend.
The
ceremony was the culmination of the 4th edition of the FIFA Live Your Goals
Girls festival staged in the Lower River Region of Jarra Soma.
Speaking
at the official opening of the edifice, the LRRFA President Ansumana Sanneh
first thanked Allah for the blessings showered on the GFF and all football
stakeholders for witnessing the historic occasion.
“This
is the first-class artificial turf to be built in rural Gambia and the LRR is
the first beneficiary. Our profound thanks to the GFF and the Ministry of Youth
and Sports for making this turf a reality in the LRR. We in the LRR will very
soon become the best region in football development,” Sanneh said.
GFF
president Lamin Kaba Bajo also disclosed
plans to build a modern and multi-purpose sports complex at the Mini Stadium to
incorporate other sports to be played at the site.
The
newly built playing turf in Soma is the 5th FIFA Goal project that the GFF is
currently enjoying and has come at a time when Gambian football has opened its
tentacles to a four-year strategic football development plan under the
leadership of President Lamin Kabba Bajo.
Mr
Bajo at the opening of the turf accompanied by LRR GOVERNOR Salifu Puye and
Chief of Jarra West Alh Yaya Jarjusey remarked that The Gambia is making
significant progress on Women football development.
He
said the GFF and its partners are very much conscious of women football and
thus has prioritized the sector as its top most agenda.
Mr
Bajo said the newly built turf will play a significant role in their quest to
decentralize football across the country hence according to him, football is an
industry and all youths should be actively involved in.
Sainabou
Cham, the chairperson of the GFF Women Football Committee in her remarks said
the FIFA Live Your Goals Festival is an event which plays a key role in the
Federation’s drive to develop women football in the country.
he
further noted that the event is geared towards promoting and encouraging the
participation of women in football.
The
event is also meant to create the platform for women’s football to go from
strength to strength with more females becoming lifelong participants in the
sport of football.
