By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Tuesday donated 90 footballs to ‘Nawettan’ zones within the Kanifing Municipality (KM).
The donation by the Kanifing Municipal Council aims to support the zones to run a successful football tournament.
Speaking at the event the Mayor, Kanifing Municipality (KM), Talib Ahmed Bensouda said the youth are the engine of the country and they are very interested and passionate about football and sports in general.
“The footballs are not much because it’s just 15 footballs per team. It will not give them all they need, but it’s just a start to help improve the Championships and the ‘Nawettans’ in their zones,” he said
He added that everything starts at grassroots sports and if they want to perform at the national and the international level, they must support grassroots football, which KMC has been doing.
“This year, KMC will begin the construction of 7 parks, and each park will have a football pitch, which will be a six a side football pitch. It will also have anoutdoor gym and children’s playground. We will start the construction by next month (September 2022). The first will be at the Buff zone and the second one will be at Bakau and the five will be separated around the municipality,” he said
Bensouda said sports can create income and be a powerhouse, if smartly invested in; and urged other regional administrations and the Government to invest more in grassroots football saying “the youth of the country can do more if little is invested in them”.
Babucarr Mansally, Councillor of Tallinding north who also doubles as the chairman of the Youth Standing Committee in the municipality welcomed the move.
He said KM always supports sports development, not only football, but also other sporting events in the country.
Councillor Mansally advised the zones tofollow their constitution so that they would avoid conflicts, among themselves.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, Ebrima Sawaneh, President of Manjai Sports Committee, thanked the Mayor for giving them the chance to benefit from the gesture.
“On behalf of my fellow beneficiaries, I thank Bensouda for his tireless assistance to the youth; especially to the youth of KM. This is a clear testimony that the youth in this area are together, as one,” he said.
Similarly, the Council took delivery of donated hospital items from Ebou Mala’s Children Charitable Foundation (EMCCF) and National Police Aid Charity for onward delivery to the KMC ward at the Serekunda General Hospital in Kanifing.