This was the first edition of the SAGPA intra-football competition under way at KG5 mini-stadium in Banjul with twelve participating teams, organized under the leadership of the current GPA Managing Director, Mr Sanyang.
‘The MD Trophy’, as it is called, is a sports tournament that aims at bringing all players together to foster strong collaboration and understanding among GPA employees and other security agents within the maritime industry.
The GPA boss, while officially opening the tournament over the weekend in Banjul, said: “The theme of the competition is healthy and wealthy one family.”
Further commenting on the tournament, GPA MD Lamin Sanyang thanked the Almighty Allah for giving them the strength and ability to organize the tournament within the maritime industry.
He disclosed that after the tournament, there are plans to organize stakeholders’ platform or forum, which he said, would include all players within the maritime sector to share experiences and expertise in forging ahead for better unification and understanding among themselves.
MD Sanyang further reiterated that the aim of the initiative was to bring all players within the maritime and shipping field together so they could work as a team for prosperity and progress.
He emphasised the importance attached to sport, saying sport could bring people, associations and institutions together for better understanding among them and their sectors of work.
He expressed appreciation to be associated with “this very important intra-sports competition of the SAGPA”, organized within the maritime industry.
He described the tournament as key to national development in the sense that it would provide opportunity for the players within the maritime industry to create friendship and map out strategy on how to work together in the best interest of their institutions.
He further reaffirmed his commitment in ensuring better unification among all sister units within the maritime industry through organizing such tournaments within the industry.
The participating teams made a combination of the shipping agents, clearing and foreign agents, workers of all the sister organizations within the GPA, the ferries, the GMA, Banjul Shipyard , customs and all the police and security agents within the port.
He disclosed that the winners of the tournament would go home with a trophy and a cash prize of D20,000, the runner-ups would receive D15,000 and third position would go home with D10,000.
He advised the participating teams to play, with the understanding that there must be a winner and loser at the end of the day, adding that teams should exercise patience and take everything in good faith, as football is about faith and joy.
MD Sanyang revealed that he personally sponsored the tournament with the sole aim to usher in and maintain the spirit of unification within the maritime industry and their various security agents attached to the industry.
Also speaking, the President of the GPA staff association, Mr Anthony, commended the GPA management for their support and encouragement in ensuring the tournament was realised within the maritime industry.
He challenged the participating teams to exercise patience and show professionalism throughout the competition.
Read Other Articles In Article (Archive)
