By Alieu Ceesay
The President of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) Lamin Kaba Bajo has called on football stakeholders to remain united for the development of Gambian football. Bajo was speaking on Friday during a press conference convened to react to allegations made a month ago by a group of individuals who called themselves concerned stakeholders.
Speaking openly on the allegations for the first, the former Sports Minister began by refuting and dismissing, in the strongest possible terms, the allegations made against the Federation by Lamin King Colley and those he called “some so-called stakeholders” in a tersely arranged press conference on September 17, 2017.
The allegations made by the ‘concerned stakeholders’, most of whom, he said, are non-members of the GFF, are not only lies perpetuated by power hungry disgruntled individuals, but a part of their continuous smear campaign against the leadership of Lamin Kabba Bajo since he assumed office three years ago.
“Mr. Bajo took over the leadership of Gambian football at a time when the country was banned from all categories of football competitions as a result of the deliberate decision by previous administration to use ineligible players in a CAF U20 competition. His first action was to prevail upon on both the continental and global bodies to lift the ban, which was duly lifted.
This happened at a time when the fortunes of Gambian football was going down as a result of administrative malpractices and the President set himself on a pedestal to build the structures from the grassroots for sustainable development,” the GFF ExCo said in a statement read by the President Bajo.
Bajo, who was elected in 2014 said, despite the efforts of the current Executive to open up and bring everybody onboard, there has been smear campaign against the executive by a small group of individuals who consider themselves as God sent to manage football in the country.
“This is evident by the incessant negative postings and comments on the social media, print and electronic media. This campaign of theirs has further escalated into unsubstantiated allegations of corruption and mismanagement, and incompetence from the same few individuals who are fighting for a common group interest, which is to bring the former executive into office.”
A seeming unhappy Bajo added, “It is not entirely a disappointment when one of them, Lamin King Colley, a former executive member of the then GFA unveiled his true colors in responding to a question from a reporter who accused him of a personal vendetta, driven by his greed, due the Federation’s decision not to endorse his candidature as a GNOC Presidential aspirant.
For Colley to unequivocally state that his mantra is; You Do Me, I Do You, which has been trending on Facebook ever since with the #YouDoMeIDoYou, is a confirmation of our long-time held believe that these people are fighting individual and group interests rather than national interest.
The current Executive Committee, he told reporters inherited the FIFA approved Goal Project No.4 of US500, 000.00 from the Kebbeh administration for the rehabilitation of the dilapidated facility. Shortly after assuming office the FIFA Development Officer visited the Gambia to discuss with all matters relating to the GFF’s relation with FIFA and the management of the approved FIFA Project.
“After the visit of the FIFA Development Officer, the Executive deemed it fit to replace the identified Consultant who was then an employee of Gamworks with Francis Jones Associates a well know Consultancy Firm in the Gambia. The GFF sought and received approval for the above from FIFA accordingly.”
The most responsive contractor Shrecji Development Enterprise was recommended by the consultant who was approved by FIFA. FIFA, he added, later signed a Formal Contract with Both Francis Jones Associates and Shrecji Development Enterprise.
“All payments to both firms are made directly to them by FIFA as per the contract. FIFA deals directly with the Consultant on the physical implementation of the project and the GFF’s role were only to see that works progress as planned and attend to site meetings.
FIFA Development Officer for West Africa, Mr. Sampon Kaplan formally Handed-Over the reconstructed NTTC to the GFF at a formal Ceremony in November 2015.”
On the GFF Football Hotel and NTTC project, Bajo clarified that it was conceptualized when the current executive engaged FIFA on ways to make it operational after the successful completion of its reconstruction and refurbishment.
The facility had a major face lift and lacks the required furniture, fittings and equipment as all the former were unusable most of them dated 2004. FIFA informed GFF that there exist a funding opportunity under the Win but only for Income Generating Projects.
GFF conceptualized the Football Hotel project based on the following: The Football Hotel will save money by accommodating national and other teams at a lower rate compared to local hotels; the Football Hotel can target other customer segments to fill up the rooms in periods when no teams are residing therein, and to generate income which can be used to finance the facility and eventually be re-invested into the development of football; and the NTTC shall be the home of the GFF technical Department and Centre of Excellence for Grassroots Football Development.
The GFF boss strongly rubbished the stakeholders allegations that the elections were not free and fair.
“Regarding KMRFA, the GFF received a petition from a group of stakeholders faulting the notice period given for the congress. The notice period given was barely 48 hours contrary to their constitution which dictated a notice period of one month.
Based on this argument, the GFF directed that the congress must be held in accordance with the constitution of the RFA, failure of which the outcome of the proposed congress will not be recognized by the GFF. The executive of the region ignored this directive and proceeded with the congress in the absence of some key stakeholders. It is in this regard, that the GFF has not recognized the current executive elected in the said congress.”
He also spoke on the Soma Mini Stadium Development Project. “It was during the tenure of the current GFF Executive that the FIFA Soma Mini Stadium (in Lower River Region) Artificial Turf Project was implemented. The GFF Executive sought and secured CAF Financial Package of $125,000.00 for the further development of the Soma Mini Stadium.
The First Phase of the project includes putting up of the Perimeter Fence of the Artificial Turf, completion of the main fence of the Mini Stadium, extension of pipe borne water supply service to the turf, and the erection of the First Phase of a 15,000 capacity Pavilion.”
Expansion of the National Leagues He revealed that with effect from the 2017/18 season, all the regional champions will compete for the 3rd division for qualification to the 2nd division.
By 2020, the leagues will have a national character, with clubs from the entire country competing in all the divisions.
National Team Coaches The National Teams coaches’ (U23, U20, U17 and Goalkeeper Trainer) appointments, Bajo went on were sanctioned by the National Sports Council under the Chairmanship of Mr. Lamin King Colley in which they promised the GFF that the NSC will provide D100, 000 monthly towards the salaries of the local coaches and the GFF to administer them and be responsible for their entitlement benefits and taxes.
“Since their appointment in April 2016, the National Sports Council under the Chairmanship of Lamin King Colley hasn’t provided a single butut as per the agreement. Thus the GFF has since been footing the bills for the salaries and other benefits of the said coaches.”
The Senior National Team Head Coach, he added, like the above is appointed by the National Sports Council (NSC) and he signed his Employment Contract with the Executive Director of the NSC under the Chairmanship of Mr. Colley.
“His salary up to July this year was paid by the MGI on behalf the NSC. Since the termination of the International Gateway Contract by the government of the Gambia, neither MGI nor the NSC has paid the salary of the coach. A letter to the NSC on this issue is yet to yield any reaction from them.”
He finally assured all stakeholders and partners that they will stay on course to enable them meet their set targets of football development in the country, and that no amount of noise, smear campaign, threat, blackmail and sabotage will distract them.
“At the end of the day, the ultimate decision rest in the hands of the bonafide stakeholders.”
