National
Assembly Select-Committee on sports, tourism, culture, and youth, last Friday
visited Gambia Football Federation (GFF) National Technical Training Center
(NTTC) and Football Hotel in Yundum as part of their tour of institutions and
facilities under their purview.
The
Committee headed by Alagie S. Darboe were received at the NTTC by Gambia
Football Federation GFF first- vice President Alhagie Bakary K. Jammeh
alongside Lamin M. Sanneh General Manager of Football Hotel.
The
Committee was taken on a conducted tour of the edifice led by Mr. Jammeh who is
also the FIFA Forward 2.0 project manager.
Receiving
the committee members, GFF’s first vice-president Alhagie K. Jammeh expressed
delight on behalf of the Federation for their visit to the refurbished National
Technical Training Center.
He
highlighted the work embarked by the GFF to refurbish the center after it has
been fallen to a dilapidated state, saying NTTC has a new look that houses an
administrative block, conference room, gymnasium and artificial playing field
amongst others.
Expounding
on the GFF structure and the NTTC funded by FIFA as Goal Project for the
Federation, Mr. Jammeh told the law makers that the GFF has both successes and
constraints since the ascension of the Lamin Kaba Bajo-led executive in 2014.
General
Secretary of GFF, Lamin M. Jassey thanked the NAM Select-Committee for the
visit, saying they are extremely happy and pleased to receive the committee to
the GFF National Technical Training Center.
“This
visit is significant for the GFF because it will avail us the opportunity to
have a first-hand interaction with the NAM regarding our two facilities at both
the NTTC and Football Hotel,” Jassey noted.
Similarly,
the National Assembly members were taken on a tour of the facilities of the
Football Hotel by General Manager Lamin Sanneh.
The
Hotel GM also took time to brief the Select Committee on the achievements of
the Hotel as conceived by the GFF. He said the hotel is a subsidiary of the GFF
describing the initiative as a positive move by the GFF Executive.
Speaking
on behalf of the national assembly Select-Committee, its Chairman Hon Alagi S.
Darboe noted their impression on the work carried out by the GFF at both the
National Technical Training Center and Football Hotel. He described GFF’s
successes as a trail blazer and further urged other Associations to emulate
Football House.
Hon. Darboe noted that a lot of changes took
place at the NTTC since his last visit to the Centre.
“We
are impressed with the level of work taken place here. I was here two to three
weeks ago with the Honorable Minister and a lot of development have taken place
from the rooms, the swimming pool under construction, artificial turf and the
technical department. I want to say that we are really impressed with the work
done by the GFF and we do hope that this trend continues,” he noted.
The
Brikama North Parliamentarian however added that the GFF should be seen as a
case study for other Associations to emulate from. “The Football Hotel is a
facility that the Gambia should be proud of. I quote it as an example to the
Honorable Minister that, the ministry especially the National Sports Council
should not only serve as judges in trying to manage or solve crisis but to also
sort out ownership and management of the mini stadiums across the country.”
