Journalists Gives Seven (7) days ultimatum to Ministry of Sports

Published On : 2013-08-25 05:45:10


	Paul Kamara Minister of Sport Members of the African Revolution Sports Journalists Association (ARSJA) have given the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Sports a seven-day ultimatum to clear six 20 feet containers of sports consignments presently lodged at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay beginning on August 19, 2013. One of the six containers has equipment to renovate the National Stadium and the four others have thirty-seven thousand (37) footballs for distribution to communities, football clubs, NGOs, and youth groups across Sierra Leone donated by China Sports International Co Ltd. The footballs were donated by Football World a company based in Kenya, and has been at the Quay for close to two months now due to failure on the part of the sports ministry to pay a clearance fee of forty-five million Leones (Le45, 000,000). The containers holding the thirty-seven thousand footballs are estimated at the local cost of five billion five hundred and fifty million Leones when each ball is priced at Le150, 000. The container enclosing for the national stadium renovation donated by the Chinese Government to endow the Stadium Hostel and renovate compartments of the Stadium itself is also estimated to cost ten billion Leones. According to the interim president of the African Revolution Sports Journalists Association (ARSJA), Maddieu AAT Kabbah, its association thought it fit to take up such matter to give attention to all the sporting disciplines and also create a platform for every athlete across the country. He further noted that they deemed it worthwhile to urge the Ministry of Sports to accelerate effort to clear the consignments, which sources say related authorities are nursing intention to begin selling little by little. Asked what would be their line of action if the Sports Ministry failed to meet the 7 days ultimatum, he replied, “If no decisive action is taken within this stipulated seven days ultimatum, we shall be forced to take another line of action”, he stressed. Maddieu continued, “We believe that the materials donated will help support the development of sports in the country and also to create a platform to encourage young people to join the wrinkle as the National Stadium is currently in a dilapidated condition”. In this vein, we require that mechanisms be put in place within the shortest possible time, lest we all suffer an unnecessary loss. By: Martin Wusha Conteh:Mysierraleoneonline.com