The much-talked about National Sports Conference, organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in consultation with the National Sports Council is currently in session at the Paradise Suite Hotel in Kololi.
The conference which has its main theme as "Mapping out strategies for better national coordination of efforts and resources for the attainment of excellence in sports, through mass participation" brought together all stakeholders to discuss critical issues, such as financing of sports, infrastructure and sports facilities, governance, organisation and management of sports, national coordination of sports, decentralisation of sports, mass participation and other relevant issues affecting sports development.
In delivering the keynote address on behalf of President Jammeh, the Vice-President Dr. Aja Isatou Njie Saidy, pointed out that effective sports administration and management is a fundamental prerequisite for enhancing sports development, noting that sports is an area that yield higher value.
"It also brings a lot of commercial benefits with a strong linkage with the socio-economic advancement, growth and development," she added.
She commended the team of consultants for what she described as their guidance on the way forward, including the way and manner in which they put in place a restructured National Sports Council, empowered to supervise and coordinate policy level issues in sports.
VP Nijie Saidy welcomed the sporting fraternity for their participation and spoke at length about the importance of the national sports conference.
In his introductory remarks, the Chairman of the Interim Committee of the National Sports Council Mustapha Alex Dacosta underscored the significance of the conference, noting that it would provide conducive environment for everybody involved in sports to come up with ideas for the betterment of sports and the National Sports Council.
"The Ministry of Youths and Sports and the National Sports Council," Dacosta added cannot do without the support from other sporting fraternity, and therefore called for concerted efforts in order to attain excellence in sports.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Honorable Sheriff Gomez said the conference will no doubt go down in the annals of our national sports history as it is a pivotal turning point in our national drive for sports development.
The Gambia under the dynamic and inspirational leadership of His Excellency President Sheikh Prof Dr. Alh Yahya AJJ Jammeh, according to Sheriff Gomez, has spearheaded sports policy and strategies framework in his recognition of the critical role sports can play in our efforts to socio- economic emancipation.
