Current executive members of The Gambia Basketball Association (GBA), elected into office following the resignation of Muhammadou ‘Papa’ Njie-led executive in 2019, has called on the former executive to hand over the association’s accounts to enable them have access to finances.
Gheran Senghore, current president of The Gambia Basketball Association, during a press briefing held on Sunday at Kanifing said, since 2019 they have been making efforts to have then secretary general Abdoulie Jallow hand over the association’s account signatories but he refused.
He added that Mr. Jallow, who is the current secretary general of The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) is holding the whole country at ransom.
He said their refusal to hand over the association’s account signatories is making it difficult for the association to finance some of its activities.
He further said the former executive is disrupting thousands of young people in the country who choose basketball as their career.
Mr Senghore therefore urged relevant authorities to intervene and rescue the careers of young people. “It is sad and unfortunate that a few individuals or group of people are putting the whole country in a dilemma for their personal interest,” he stated.
The Gambia 3 on 3 male and female under-18 team recently returned from D.R. Congo where they won silver and bronze in The SalaMatou International competition for the first time in the history of the country despite all the struggles faced by the association.
Muhammed ‘Jim’ Njie, current secretary general of the association, called on stakeholders to intervene in reshaping the ‘second biggest sports’ in country in ensuring players have an avenue to achieve their dreams in the sports they choose as a career.
“Basketball is a very important sport and a lot of young people have chosen it as their career and with proper support, it can change their life and livelihood as well as their families in the country,” he said.
The National Sports Council, the body responsible for regulating all sporting bodies in the country, has recognized the present executive since 2019 but the association still struggles to access its bank accounts.
