By: Foday Manneh
In July, the Alkamba Times (TAT) published a story a few weeks before the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) elective congress.
The headline was: “Neglect and Poor Infrastructure Undermine Football in URR – What Could Any New GFF Offer?”
However, more than two months later, a member of the executive of the Upper River Region Football Association, URRFA, has confirmed to TAT that a D11.1 million stadium will be constructed in URR “within a short period.”
“The Gambia Football Federation has secured USD$200,000 (equivalent to 11,120,000 Gambian Dalasis) as support from Saudi Arabia to construct a football stadium in URR,” the secretary general of URRFA, Abdourahman Barry, announced.
“It was an initiative of the late president of the URRFA, Furu Gomez, to have a stadium in URR. We were informed by the GFF before the elective congress that this support was coming. I read the letter, and we were all happy about it,” Barry declared.
URR football has been in a deplorable state for a long time.
According to stakeholders, the major problem hindering football development in the region was the national sports authority’s neglect of the sector, with no conducive facilities for young people’s talents to prosper.
This seems to have received the needed response from the authorities, but is it close to realization?
TAT contacted the GFF on this life-changing project, and the GFF Communication Director, Baboucarr Camara, said it is true that a mini stadium project with some facilities has been identified for Nyakoi in URR.
“It is part of our commitment to ensure at least one good playing field is in each provincial region before the end of the current term of Team Kaba, but the deal isn’t complete yet.”
Saying that it is too early for the GFF to announce the deal, Camara added that “the Saudis have requested some further information from us, and we’ve furnished them with that while we await their final reply because a formal announcement would be made.”
Meanwhile, URRFA secretary general Barry has also disclosed that a plot of land measuring 400×400 meters has been secured in Nyakoi village pending the signing of an MoU for the said stadium project.
“The consultants and the deputy project manager of GFF responsible for football fields were at the site, and according to their survey report, the land is suitable.”
According to Barry, the project entails constructing a perimeter fence, two pavilions, and the provision and laying of artificial turf at the pitch.
