By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Sierra Leone Female Premier League has on 5th of May 2023, climaxed the National League Trophies and Awards Ceremony to the female players in the just concluded maiden edition of the Premier League in the Country.
The historic event was held at the Freetown City Council View Restaurant where all the 12 clubs and high-profile Football stakeholders were present to grace the Ceremony.
Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh the Vice President of Sierra Leone, said it was pleasure for him to be part of the historic event of the closing Ceremony of the female Premier League in the Country. He noted that it was good the Female Premier board has acknowledged the tremendous support the New Direction Government has given to Sports in this Country. He also reaffirmed that the government is ready to support sports in the Country.
He furthered that some time back, he went to Zurich and met with the President of FIFA where they discussed many issues and the President of FIFA said to him that “As a Government, you have to commit to supporting female Football, not only Female Football but female rules for Football governance where it will create space for them to have a structure of female Football governance”, he said.
Vice President Jalloh continued that as a government, they are happy seeing the elite female league is playing in the Country where it had reached a successful conclusion. “I want to say thanks to the female Premier League board Chairperson in the person of Asma James on behave of President Julius Maada Bio, and people of Sierra Leone for a good job done”, said VP Jalloh.
He assured that the Government is going to give support to the newly Crowned Champions Mogbewmo Queen in their International tournament in Liberia and that the government is going to do all the necessaries in order to help them get the required facilities to play the tournament. He expressed optimism that the team would represent the Country well.
Ibrahim Nylenkeh, the Minister of Sports said it is a privilege to celebrate with the female players and therefore, thanked the Chairperson Madam Asama James for her tremendous contribution. He added that he was not surprised because the Chairperson was part of the Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai league where he proved well.
He affirmed that the New direction of Government has an agenda which is Human Capital development. He said they believe in building the human capital development of Youths in the Country. He stated that what the Public is seeing now is a novelty to see the elite female league to play in the Country for the first time.
“Am so happy today that we are getting results from other Sporting Associations disciplines as sports is money and required total support”, he said.
Thomas Daddy Brima, the President of the Sierra Leone Football Association said it is high time the Public gave its support to Football in the Country because through Football there had been huge employment has been created and those Youths who were engaged in something not useful have changed their minds and now playing football. He acknowledged that Football unites the World and that the Public needs to take advantage of it raw talent and make good use of it. He thanked the government of Sierra Leone for providing the funds to run the league across the Country.
He affirmed that both Females Football and male would continue to play until they reach the level to match International standards. He also called on the Public to continue Supporting female players, technical staff, technical teams, and the Executive Committee members of the Football Federation.