The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) on Tuesday 12th February, 2019, formally signed with Petro Gas Company limited a partnership agreement for the financing of a six-month pilot grassroots football programme for girls in the school system. The ceremony was held at the Petro Gas Head Office in Banjul.
Speaking at the occasion, Petro Gas Managing Director Mr. Lang Conteh said they are very pleased to once again associate themselves with football, particularly at the national level. “It’s traditional and natural for us at Petro Gas to be associated with football and I want to assure you that our doors are always opened for partnership,” he said, while expressing their readiness and willingness to help football development in the country.
The Director of Finance Sebastian Thomas described the partnership as a great opportunity for them to contribute their quota to football development. “We will do everything possible to make sure that the partnership is positive and we are pleased to associate with the GFF.”
The Third Vice President of the GFF, General Lang Tombong Tamba said the GFF is pleased to finally sign the agreement with Petro Gas. He said the GFF has a vision to develop youth and grassroots football. He said grassroots is the bedrock of any country’s future national team. “We have to equip the youths that will help our country to also benefit financially.” Tamba added that the vision of the GFF is to forge meaningful partnership with the private sector to be able to attain sustainable football development
The President of the GFF, Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo thanked Petro Gas for the new found partnership. He said the potentials in women’s football are many and with Petro Gas coming on board, a lot of the potentials would be visible. “We request for the private sector to come and partner with the GFF like Petro Gas is doing,” he said, noting that the partnership will go a long way to smoothen the relationship with the GFF and its partners like the Ministry of Youth and Sports in order to realise the objectives of the project.
Mr. Bajo thanked the Project Coordinator Monika Staab and her colleague Sainey Sissohore for a hard earned job and commitment towards the realisation of this partnership. He further challenged and drew the attention of other private sectors to come on board to follow suit
Within the framework of the MoU, Petro Gas presented a cheque of D180,000:00 (One Hundred and Eighty Thousand Dalasi) paid to the GFF in installment of three months with a break in of D30,000:00 (Thirty Thousand Dalasis ) for each month. There is also a supply of two hundred and fifty T-shirts for the project.