The Ministry of Youth and Sports yesterday presented a cheque for D150,000 to the Gambia Tennis Association as part of their contribution towards the development of sport in the country.
Presenting the cheque on behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sports at a ceremony held at the Friendship Hotel in Bakau, the chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC), Sulayman Bunn Njie, said his council, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, would continue to render support to sporting associations to take sport in the country to higher heights.
According to Mr Njie, the gesture is geared towards nurturing tennis players as well as supporting the Gambia Tennis Association (GTA) to build four tennis courts to improve the level of tennis in the country.
Receiving the cheque, the president of the GTA, Sheriff Jammeh, applauded the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the government for assisting sporting associations in infrastructural development.
Jammeh stated that the construction of four new tennis courts on the land allocated to them by the government just behind the Independence Stadium Friendship Hotel is estimated to cost about D4.5 million.
He added that the International Tennis Federation, the parent body responsible for tennis globally, has also pledged to provide US$20,000 in the form of a catalyst fund by installment of US$5,000, after verification that there is an output from the government to start the foundation.
The GTA cannot host sub-regional and international tennis competitions because they don’t have four tennis courts in one location, Jammeh said, adding that the gesture will go a long way in creating more tennis courts that would enable them to host international competitions.
He appealed to their sister sporting associations to register with the National Sports Council (NSC), saying it is the only body set up by the government to be responsible for sport in the country.
For his part, the executive secretary of the NSC, Mamudou Max Jallow, called on all sporting associations in the country that are yet to register with the Council to come forward and register, saying the council would work with and render support to sporting associations registered with it.
