“Sport has become a unifying agent” VP Sam-Sumana
Freetown, Feb. 4 (SLENA) – The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Chief Sidique Sam-Sumana (in photo) has said in Freetown that sport has unique qualities and attributes that enable youths to be meaningfully engaged to and contribute in no small measure to development and peace in their various communities.
Sport, he added, has become a unifying agent.
The Vice President made this statement at the launching of the ‘One World Futbol Project’ at the National Stadium, Brookfields in Freetown, recently. He added that football has closed the gap between gender and has helped the physically challenged to display their talents.
The project, he said, is a manifestation of a new world order with regards sport and youths wherein the negative activities of adults and youths will be transformed into core social values like attitudinal and behavioral change, fair play, honesty, healthy competition, team work and pursuit of excellence.
These values, he went on, will contribute to social integration, national cohesion and development.
He rekindled with a feeling of pride, the prowess of Sierra Leoneans in football, athletics, volley ball, lawn tennis, cricket and other sporting activities, national and international. He however lamented that all this has dissipated over the years to the extent that it has been difficulty for the country to rise again and take it rightful place in the world of sport.
“In a not too distant future we shall rise up again to the admiration of all, globally,” VP assured the gathering and expressed on behalf of His Excellency, Ernest Bai Koroma, his profound gratitude to the sponsors, Chevrolet and special recognition to the inventor, Steve.
He said the 22, 080 Chevrolet-branded Futbols underscored government rewarding partnership with non-state institutions in achieving its goal for nation building.
Vice President Sam-sumana expressed his delight over the demonstration and commitment of his government through the Agenda for Prosperity in engaging the youth positively in sporting activities which, he noted, has demonstrated the commitment of government in ensuring that youths of this nation are engaged in activities that will enhance their intellectual, psychological and physical growth and also in removing the youths from things that impede their growth to those that instill discipline in them, increase their levels of tolerance and enhance them in order to contribute meaningfully towards a strong, productive and competitive Sierra Leone.
He reassured the sponsors that the footballs will be distributed free of cost and fairly in all corners of the country especially in the deprived communities.
Earlier, in his welcome statement, the Deputy Minister of Sport, Ishmael Al-Sankoh Conteh stated that the project is a stir call by the President, E. B. Koroma to widen new talents that would represent the country in international competitions, adding that the project ‘One World Futbal’ is an initiative that will be used to identify talents from disadvantage communities and also to engage youths to develop their skills and divert their attention from the use of drugs, lawlessness among other violence related activities.
As a ministry, Mr. Sankoh said they will take the lead in the distribution of the ball nationwide in order to ensure that they reach the rightful beneficiaries especially school going pupils and those already in the field of football.
Representing the One world Futbal, Mr. Alphan Coker, Acting Director of Sport said the project initiative commenced in early 2013 and that from what they learned during those periods, they saw the country as very precious and spectacular coupled with the government’s commitment in ensuring that peace prevails among Sierra Leoneans.
The One World Futbal initiative, he said, was designed to provide children and youths the chance to be children and to play with a ball that will never quit irrespective of where they found themselves.
Speaking on the uniqueness of the ball, Mr. Coker said the ball is one that will not pop, deflate and that it needs not a pump or needle. The ball, he added, is an indestructible sprit of play for the children of Sierra Leone and that One World Futbal was particularly impressed with the display of the Sierra Leone Single Leg Amputee Footballers which he said signifies the healing power of play, the power that will move Sierra Leone forward and create hope for a peaceful and prosperous country.
The Acting Director of Sport said by partnering with Chevrolet, the Ministries of Education and Youth and Sport, SLFA and the NGO community, they have delivered over 22, 000 of their indestructible balls to every community in the country for their children.
Giving a review of the project, Minister of Sport, Paul Kamara, explained that the project is a football revolution to meet international standards, disclosing that during his term of office, made lots of improvement in the game of football which has led to the country’s achieving a lot within a short period of time, mentioning the recent FIFA ranking from 176 to 151 in the world while in CAF the country took 10th position.
He furthered unveiled plans for the construction of an artificial football turf by FIFA costing $1.5M and other projects.
He called on all sport stakeholders to join his ministry in taking football to the highest level by building more talents that will represent the country in international competitions.
AF/OVP/SLENA
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