Martini County – The Ministry of Youth and Sports has been requested by Margibi County’s Sports Steering Committee to reimburse its costs for the 2023–2024 National County Sports Meet postponement.
As previously mentioned, the Ministry of Youth Sports declared on Friday, December 15, 2023, that the competition would be postponed until a later date. It was originally scheduled to begin on Saturday, December 16, 2023, in Fish Town, Rivergee County, with activities taking place at other locations on Sunday.
The decision to postpone the sporting festival was made based on precedence, according to a statement from Zeogar Wilson, Minister of Youth and Sports. He claimed that in 2017, the transition team of then-President-elect George Manneh Weah asked the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration to respectfully step down from hosting the National County Sports Meet so that the Weah-led government could do so. The Madam Sirleaf administration complied.
President George Weah also granted a similar request from President-elect Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Transitional Team, according to the Sports Minister. However, Margibi County, the host of Group D, claimed that it had incurred significant costs, including those related to printing tickets and setting up Nancy Doe Stadium.
Chairman of the County Sports Steering Committee, Abu Fofana, reported that approximately 6,000 US dollars were spent on stadium renovations and tournament ticket preparation.
“We have presented copies of every receipt to the Ministry of Youth and Sports based on expenses made from the renovation of the stadium and the printing of tickets. We spent about eleven thousand United States dollars for every expensive.”
“Again, many business people bought their goods for the competition; guest houses were booked, but to have held that at the 11th hour that the competition has been postponed is politically motivated.”
Reported by: Sylvester Tamba
Contact: +231776687195
