By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Sierra Leone Football Association has officially signed four Artificial Turf contracts with Edel Grass a reputable Company based in Holland at the Football Secretariat in Kingtom, Freetown.
The Company is an accredited FIFA Construction Company that constructs artificial turf pitches, the Specific sites selected for this project include BO Coronation Field, Port Loko Field, Approved School Field, and SLFA Academy Kingtom. The Edel Grass Company will be responsible for the additional installation of flood lighting in Kenema, and Kono. The maintenance of Wusum Field in Makeni will also be entrusted to them.
Mark Jonkers the FIFA-accredited Contractor who is the expert for the Edel Grass said the company has today signed four contracts for the construction of four playing pitches across the Country; noting that the four FIFA projects will be fully funded with Floodlights.
He affirmed that they will also repair the Kono Mini Stadium to give a facelift to the venue, noting that all FIFA projects contained assets that will give out maintenance and they will appoint people to be in charge from all venues, stated that those people will be trained how on maintenance.
He pointed out that for him it is not only about constructing pitches, but it is time to give back to those communities, noting that at the time of installations, they will be using local indigenous people to help in the projects and the local communities to be part of those projects.
Harold Nat Johnson the Vice President of the Sierra Leone Football Association said these projects have been on the pipeline for a long time with documentation, but the Football Association is happy now that the projects are now set up and running as the Federation, they are happy to announced that Edel Grass Company has won the bidding process of construction of four pitches across the Country.
He points out that the work of the Edel Grass is visible around Africa and they had worked in the country two years ago in completing the Kenema Artificial turf.
He further that, soon as the signing work is done the four venues’ work will commence immediately, noting as “an Executive Committee we are proud to announce these projects and the upon completion the raw talents from the Country will break through in the international stage because there is good playing surface in the Country”.
Harold Nat Johnson said the cost involved he pointed out that FIFA is paying on four tranches, the total cost is 234,462 thousand U.S. dollars.
The said projects, upon completion, will see a full package of a state-of-the-art artificial turf, floodlight, perimeter fence, 100KVA generator, and 100-seater pavilion at the SLFA Academy Field, Approved School Field, Port Loko Town Field, and Bo Coronation Field. Also, part of the projects, the Kono artificial turf pitch will be renovated with a perimeter fence and floodlights while the Kenema Town Field, which is already fenced, will be upgraded with standard floodlights.
There is going to be strong supervision from the Football Association from all Venues upon completion.
