By: Zackline Colley
The Gambia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Bakary Badjie, has emphasized the critical need for sports infrastructure development as the country unveils its first-ever national sports policy. The Gambia National Sports Policy 2024-2034, a blueprint designed to elevate the country’s sports sector over the next decade, marks a significant milestone following the expiration of the previous policy in 2019.
Speaking at the policy validation ceremony, Minister Badjie underscored the importance of prioritizing infrastructure investment over international participation to ensure long-term success and talent development at both the national and community levels.
“The one that I am very particular about is the issue of the sports infrastructure development. Over the decades, we have all observed how our lack of infrastructure has affected our performance and our talent development at the community level,” Badjie stated.
The minister highlighted the challenge of balancing the budget between funding international participation and investing in local infrastructure, noting that the current approach often leaves the country underprepared and without the necessary facilities to train athletes effectively.
“Strategically, if you have one international competition, where, for example, you are spending 3 million or government gives 3 million, I would say that 3 million can build a basketball or volleyball or tennis lawn or something else somewhere. But do we use it for that, or do we use it to send a group to go and participate?” Badjie questioned.
He further explained that continued investment in international participation without adequate infrastructure at home could lead to poor performances, as athletes would not be accustomed to the facilities they encounter abroad.
“Our position as a ministry is that we need to invest more in the development of the infrastructure at home and minimize the participation. We do hope that in the next three years, in the next four years, we will have had some adequate or at least reasonable facilities and be able to develop the talent locally,” he said.
The new policy, which was developed after extensive consultations with stakeholders, encapsulates the vision and aspirations of The Gambia’s sports community. It aims to provide a framework for the growth and development of sports in the country, ensuring that future generations of athletes are well-equipped to compete on the global stage.
Minister Badjie expressed hope that with proper infrastructure in place, The Gambia would be able to develop a pool of well-trained athletes who can excel in international competitions.
“In the next two, three years, we will be able to go out there and be able to do well. And our position as a ministry is that we need to invest more in the development of the infrastructure at home and minimize the participation,” he concluded.
The Gambia National Sports Policy 2024-2034 is set to chart a new course for the sports community, focusing on building a robust foundation that will enable the country to achieve sustained success in the years to come.
