Draft National Sports Bill validated

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Alieu K. Jammeh, yesterday presided over the validation of the Draft National Sports Bill at the Friendship Hotel at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

The Draft National Sports Bill validation, organised by the National Sports Council (NSC), brought together delegates from all national sports federations, associations and committee for the daylong event.

Speaking at the ceremony, Youth and Sports Minister Alieu K. Jammeh challenged the sports associations, federations and committees to respect authorities and always be transparent.

Minister Jammeh urged the sports federations, associations and committees to be hard-working to promote and develop sport in the country.

He appealed to them to emulate GFF, saying the country’s football governing body has football associations in all regions in the country.

Ebou Secka, of the NSC, said all national sports federations, associations and committees must have at least eight teams in four regions and municipality to ensure their activities are decentralised, noting that they must be able to organise national championships.

He urged all of them to ensure they affiliate to their parent bodies, saying they must pay affiliation fee of D1,000 each annually to the NSC and are also required to conduct their AGM and congress as stipulated in their constitutions and the NSC must be informed and invited to monitor the process.

Secka added that all associations, federations and committees shall submit end-of-year reports and audited reports to the NSC.

He said they must submit their action plans as well as national and international calendars of activities annually.

They must also obtain clearance from the NSC before travelling outside the country, he advised.

All national sports associations, federations and committees must have a bank account in the name of the federations, associations and committees and give details to the NSC, Secka stressed.

He pointed out that they must have a functional executive and office contact numbers and email address.