By: Dawda Baldeh
Journalist Kifa Barham, also known as Mamour M. Mbenga, has recently completed an intensive training program on sports governance and leadership in Ghana.
The week-long course, hosted at the National Sports College in Winneba, covered various modules related to sports leadership, including transparency, accountability, professionalism, stakeholder relationships, leadership principles, and ethics in sports governance.
Thirteen participants from different sporting organizations took part in the program at the Winneba North Campus.
Mr. Mbenga, the CEO and Co-Founder of Dolphin Stars F.C, a grassroots football club in The Gambia, aims to develop and promote young athletes in the football arena.
He expressed his commitment to capacity development and other sports development programs, placing it as his foremost priority as an aspiring sports development manager.
Mbenga believes that sports go beyond entertainment and can serve as a business, providing economic benefits. He emphasized that serious stakeholders should prioritize sports as a primary economic goal.
“Sports not only unites people but also contributes to rapid economic growth, employment opportunities, and economic benefits for various stakeholders. Both local and international sporting organizations invest millions of resources into the global sporting industry,” he said.
Kifa Barham has actively used sports as a mechanism to address social problems affecting the youth in The Gambia, particularly those involved in illicit drugs, crimes, and the “back way” syndrome.
He obtained his professional sports qualification in Football Business Management and HR at Valley View University (VVU) in Dodowa, Ghana, last year. And now, he has successfully completed the sports governance and leadership course.
In addition to his involvement in sports, Mr. Mbenga serves as the Official Brand Ambassador of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia under the Ministry of Interior. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Africa Drug-Free Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing social challenges and crimes related to drug abuse among young people.
Three years ago, he received certification as a qualified Substance Use Disorder Counselor (SUD) and a global master trainer on Universal Treatment Curriculum from Colombo Drug Advisory (DAP).
Mbenga is a practicing journalist and the CEO and Founder of Africa Citizen Radio (ACR), an online news network, and multimedia company.
