The Stakeholders of Liberia Amputees Football and Sports Association (LAFASA) have elected a new breed of leaders to steer the affairs of the federation for another four years.
The election took place on Friday, July 15, 2022, at the Institution 4th Elective Congress held at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville.
Those elected are Cooper Cooper President, Samuel Tengbeh Vice President for Administration, Morris Quoiquoi Vice President for Operations, Emmanuel Brown Secretary General, Emmanuel Nyuman Treasurer, and Boye Johnson Assistant Secretary General.
However, the various candidates all contested on a white ballot following a proper vetting from the Elections Committee headed by Bill Karmo.
Samuel Tengbeh who occupied the VPO position during the last term unseat the incumbent, Jonathan Whea who failed to meet election guidelines.
According to Article VI section 6.5 of the Amputees Football and Sports Association Constitution, the tenures of the President and two Vice Presidents, Secretary General, Assistant Secretary General and Treasure expires after every four years from the date of induction into office.
Article xi section 9.1A says Candidates’ academic qualification must be Junior High and above and must also be 25 years and above with good moral character and must have served at the executive level for at least two years at their various clubs.
Following the elections and subsequent induction, the President of Liberia Amputees Football and Sports Association(LAFASA), Cooper George said discrimination should not be accepted among the members of the federation.
According to Mr. George, he will ensure every member of LAFASA feels the impact of his leadership in a positive direction.
“I can assure you that, I will continue to lobby with the government and other partners for the well-being of our people. Over the years, every time the national team is traveling, I always allot tokens to all our members to do business and stop begging on the streets, Mr. George explained”.
“The disable people you see begging on the streets are not members of this federation because, our people have received little financial help to do their businesses, he added”.
The President of Liberia Amputees Football and Sports Association has also promised to win upcoming Turkey’s 2022 Amputees World Cup in September.
Mr. George said Amputees National team remains the only national team in the history of Liberia to have qualified for the World Cup, and as such, he can assure the country of winning it in his next four years term.
” My focus now is the upcoming World Cup. For the Nations Cup, under my regime, we have finished 1st and 2nd places in Tanzania 2021 and Angola 2019, but trust me, my boys are fully prepared to go to Turkey and win the trophy, he said”.
The Deputy Sports Director at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Kesseley Kanneh who observed the elections on behalf of the Ministry called on members of the Liberia Amputees Football and Sports Association to continue to be Ambassadors of change.
According to him, many people speak negatively about the disabled community, but he said, they are peaceful, and are not like what others are thinking about them.
” I want to let you know that, every negative thing some people said about you is all wrong. You guys are ambassadors of change. Please continue the good examples and move on with your leaders. We all know that everything is not ‘Rosey’. To be a leader is not an easy thing, so please listen to your leaders as you have always done in the past, Mr. Kanneh”.
” I will communicate to Minister D. Zeogar Wilson, Deputy Sports Minister G. Andy Quamie and Assistant Sports Minister James Toee, and the entire Sports Department of the Ministry that you guys had peaceful and credible elections”.
” Finally, your elections on the white ballot actually tells me that unity is in the federation which is our foremost, prayer for all sporting federations and associations in the country.”
Meanwhile, the election was also witnessed by the President of Liberia Kickball Federation Emmanuel Surprise Whea, and the President of Liberia National Paralympic Committee, a disabled federation, Mr. Jefferson Zoegbeh.
Their separate remarks appreciated the credibility of the electoral process and called on the members of the institution to remain peaceful and channel their issues respectfully.
Reported by Sports Director: Sylvester Tamba
Email: stamba498@gmail.com
Phone number: +231776687195
Whatsapp number: +231776687195
