December 15, 2021
President Julius Maada Bio has on 14th December 2021 launched the National Sports Development find at the Bintumani International Conference Hall at Aberdeen, Freetown.
President Julius Maada Bio deposited into the account ten billion Leones to actualize manifesto promise and to help boost youth development in Sports. The launching, with inclusive effort from the Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Authority, brought together representatives from all Sporting disciplines, government Ministers, goodwill Ambassadors, and members of the Press.
The National Sports Development Fund has been created to encourage and promote private sector participation in Sports, to ensure that Sporting disciplines are treated equally when it comes to funding for participation in international competitions, to deliver on the manifesto promise made by His Excellency the President during his campaign to promote Sierra Leone as a Sporting Nation and to also create a synergy among ministries; as Sports has the chances to Promote Social Policy.
Speaking during the historic launching the Minister of Sports, Ibrahim Nyelenkeh said the fund would create equal space for all Sports registered with the National Sports Authority.
He added that over the years Government has been making tremendous efforts to enliven Sports in Sierra Leone knowing that it has significant role in nation-building. In full knowledge of this, President Julius Maada Bio was quick to constitute a Board that brought to life the National Sports Authority which was passed by an Act of Parliament to enhance youth development and to bolster the Country’s capacity towards national growth.
“The establishment of the Sports Development fund will mobilize and raise funds to augment investment levels in the sports sector. It will go a long way in freeing space in the coffers of the Government as a separate fund, whose account will be open at the Central Bank, managed by the Ministry of Finance and controlled by a committee to be chaired by the Financial Secretary,” said Sport Minister.
Delivering his keynote address President Julius Maada Bio said Sports was dead before he took over
“Sierra Leone was not competitive in any major sporting tournament. But since l came to Office things have changed, we recorded huge success. Let us set a day aside to celebrate our athletes who made the country proud, we are great people we should support what is good.”
He added that Government has increased allocations to Sports to improve the sector since it is a great enabler of National development and unity.
“Sports offer additional opportunity for career development. With that l am Launching the Sports Development account with a token of Ten billion Leones,” he said he made a promise to see the players of the National team Leone before they departs for the Africa Cup Nations in Cameroon next month.
The Chief Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa unveiled the Leone Stars Supporters Jersey comes in three separate colors, green, White and Blue and it is sold at a price of one hundred and twenty thousand Leones.
There were performances from the Gymnastics skills, Boxing, and Karate federation.