The Ministry of Youth and Sports yesterday inaugurated the new Independence Stadium and Friendship Hotel Board at a ceremony held at the Independence Stadium Conference Hall in Bakau.
The board members are Buba Njie (Chairman), Alieu K. Jammeh (vice chairman), Tombong Saidy, Mustapha Kebbeh and Marion Foon-Nyan (all as members), while Abdoulie Momodou Kah was chosen to serve as secretary to the board of the committee.
Speaking on the occasion, Hon. Sheriff Gomez, Minister of Youth and Sports, congratulated the board for accepting to serve on the committee.
Gomez thanked the Government of The Gambia under the leadership of President Jammeh for the support towards the stadium and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
He also highlighted his ministry’s aim to install a modern digital scoreboard and modern digital advertising billboards
“It is my belief that with the calibre of the board at our disposal, they will deliver to expectations,” said the youth and sports minister while assuring the newly appointed board members of the support of his ministry and government in ensuring the goals of the stadium and the Friendship Hotel are achieved.
Alieu K. Jammeh, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, who is also the vice chairman of the board, said the stadium and the Friendship Hotel have been offering various sports services to the public.
Jammeh, who assured the sports ministry of his full time services to the assignment, is hopeful they would accomplish the task given to them.
“The stadium is our main sports facility and the Government has pumped a lot of money into it but the people who were tasked with its smooth running wasted those resources,” he stated.
Jammeh, who is also the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, said the new board will be in the eyes of everyone but assured the people of their full commitment.
Mr Njie, in his remarks on the occasion, said he was honoured to be appointed as the chairman of the board of directors of the Independence Stadium and the Friendship Hotel, describing the challenge as a “daunting task”.
Abdoulie Momodou Kah, secretary to the board and head of the interim management, also spoke at the occasion, chaired by Anna Jobe.
