Gov’t no longer have confidence on GFA - Mambanyick Njie

The executive committee members of the Gambia Football Association (GFA) have been removed due to lack of confidence on them by government, says permanent secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mambanyick Njie.

The defunct GFA executive committee were elected into office on 31 December 2009 to run the affairs of football in the country for four years.

Seedy M.B. Kinteh, whose first four-year tenure in office since 2005 as president registered successes, was re-elected president in 2009.

The new development in removing the committee members, which coincided with the Scorpions 2-1 dismal performance against Algeria, was said to have cropped up from recommendations forwarded to the Ministry by a taskforce committee on football established to map out the way forward for Gambian football.

“We did consultation as wide as possible and have arrived at a decision to remove all the executive members of the GFA,” Mambanyick pointed out. “The national team is a national asset. Government no longer have confidence on the present FA.”

Governing interference addressed

The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mambanyick Njie, also told journalists at a press conference on Friday that the ministry has taken strong measures and the issue of government interference on the FA has been addressed in this unprecedented move.

“We have standards. We have done our job and we know what we are talking about,” PS Njie explained while responding to journalists.

He added: “The Ministry of Youth and Sports have been very supportive of the GFA with President Yahya Jammeh as their chief patron. It is time to see football reaching the highest height.

“The move is not as a result of the Scorpions’ defeat; Coach Bonu Johnson can’t be judged for losing a single game since his appointment. It is time to appoint the right people on the right places. The taskforce has done a good job and the ministry will look at all aspects of its recommendations.”

Foreign coach

After spending a lot in a foreign coach, PS Njie noted, the issue was, there was no proper work plan for the coach and things could not work; there is need for a plan of action mapping The Gambia’s long-term plans to qualify.”