The meeting which opened up to introduce the new GFF General Secretary to the stakeholders also trailed on the developments ushered in by the Lamin Kabba Bajo led Administration to the LRR since the advent of the new Football dispensation.
In welcoming the GFF team, LRR FA President Ansumana Sanneh first congratulated the new GFF CEO for his deserved appointment and described him as a young man of absolute knowledge in football development hence his institutional memory of the Football House as Admin Secretary before he left for higher educational pursuits. ‘Be rest assured of our undivided and loyal support and we the people of LRR are so proud today that our own native is the CEO of Gambian Football’.
Mr Jassey took time to brief the stakeholders about the purpose of his visit which according to him is a ‘familiarization tour’. He expressed his gratitude and pleasure to have been received warmly by the people and Football stakeholders in the LRR and said ‘it’s the beginning of our three day trek but I am really overwhelmed with the hospitality you accorded us and this is a sign of your loyalty to the football leadership which am sure will continue for the years ahead’.
He said as part of his admin policy is also to reach to the stakeholders in the Regions and make them feel part of the development agenda. ‘I am aware of the array of development initiatives brought by the GFF in this Region and I must tell you that plans are afoot to maximize the speedy completion of the next phase of the Soma Artificial turf which is to be fenced and pavilions put across’, Jassey disclosed to the stakeholders.
He said the changes at Football House is a vision of the Executive to meet their aspirations in decentralizing Football and sharing the Resources in an equitable manner where all the Regions will benefit squarely. ‘This is my new way of strategic governance which is a bottom up approach where all will be inclusive. The dynamics in Football have changed and the Gambia must live up to best practice methods as a paradigm shift. My executive is very conscious of this arena and are in support of our new administration’, Jassey emphasized.
Speaking to GS Jassey at the sidelines of the Soma meeting, the new GFF CEO described LRR as a positive sign for their tour. ‘ I am really overwhelmed with what I saw and heard. In fact they have surpassed my expectations and I must say that LRR is very special to me and the GFF because the GFF has one of it’s GOAL Projects here which is very key to the development and advancement of regional Football and secondly I am a native of LRR and so it’s a very special Region in my case’.
Jassey said he made a solemn appeal to the Stakeholders to collaborate in their initiatives and work together in tandem with the demands of Football.
The meeting was attended by the CEO of Mansakonko Area Council, LRR Police Representative, a representative from the LRR Office of the Ombudsman deputizing for the Governor, Regional Youth and Sports Committees and other relevant observers.
The tour team continues to Basse and CRR on Sunday before terminating to the North Bank Region on Monday January 22nd for the end of the Regional trek. The second and final phase of the tour will be conducted later at the Greater Banjul Area where the General Secretary will visit stakeholders in the West Coast Region, Kanifing Municipality and Banjul for similar meetings.
The team includes GFF Deputy General Secretary Abdou Salaam Jammeh Human Resources Manager Baboucarr Camara and Accounts Officer Dawda AJ Barrow.