By: Fallou Ceesay alias Gallas Jnr
In my quest for change, I’ve been taking part in elections basically all my life, rooting for opposition aspiring candidates from councilors, Parliamentarians, Mayors, and even a president for the past decade but not for once have I ever been privileged to be part of a team as formidable and efficient as Sadibou Kamasos #Team_Restore_Confidence
The latest phase of our campaign trail, where we toured the length and breadth of this country, was more of a series of family engagements than a vote canvassing /scavenging spree.
Each of The seven regions in The Gambia has an elected regional football association (RFA) entitled to 4 voting rights (President, 1st VP, 2nd VP & SG) in every GFF elective congress, summing it up to 28 votes out of the total 77. these regions are allocated a mere annual subvention of D300,000 from the GFF.
They’ve always struggled to get hold of it. When GFF do, they are paid to them piecemeal… the only substandard football pitch outside the greater Banjul and Brikama is the one at Jarra soma (LRR) which was built by the former president Mustapha Kebbeh. How do you expect a third division match commissioner from Jareng in CRR to travel to Mansakonko and officiate games with a motorbike as a volunteer when administrators in Banjul are all driving hybrid vehicles.
In kuntair (NBR), the Team was welcomed under a Mango tree at an elementary school due to the lack of a secretariat. The second capital of this country (Basse/URR) tried; they at least welcomed the Team at a rented portion of a “kokiyaas” building with dilapidated chairs purchased for the goal project by the Seedy Kinteh in 2001. the most organized RFA in this country, the West Coast region welcomed the Team in an office space sandwiched at the center of the Brikama market. LRR received the Team in a makeshift dressing room at the Jarra Soma pitch. No single laptop or tablet was used to collect and disseminate data at any of the above regional meetings. At the same time, the present Secretary-general of the GFF purchased a D100,000+ Laptop paid for by the federation’s funds not. Long ago… I couldn’t stop being proud of these gallant men and women steering the affairs of our RFAs due to the passion, love, and energy they exert on the Job they do. At the same time, the GFF continues to deceive them by bringing surveyors to measure imaginary football pitches every year, while the most significant region in The Gambia (CRR) can’t still boast of a simple changing board costing D1500. Substituted players are called by the 4th referee!!!
Team restores Confidence has toured this country and promised the entire 7 regions a brand new pick-up, a standard football pitch that can host league games, and an annual subvention package to the RFAs worth a million Dalasis (D500k January – D500k July), plus an equipped office Complex…
While Mr Dodou Bojang the CEO of Lamin United and former SG of The WCR-RFA attended the west coast meeting on behalf of Team restore Confidence and offered himself to the RFA if the campaign promises of President Kamaso are not fulfilled, Mr Bakary Darboe a philanthropist and the president of B4u kiang west who’s a household name in LRR assured the RFA that after voting Kamado and he fails his promise, the onus is on him to subvent the RFA with a Million dalasis annually, buy them the promised pick up and build them the state of the art office complex.
Retired referee and President of the Banjul Regional Football Association, Modou Sowe of Team, restore Confidence has also offered himself as collateral for president Kamado to the remaining regions if the Campaign promises are not fulfilled…
As President Modou Sowes Banjul-RFA and KMRFA happens to be the flagship of Team restore, Wallidan football club (the father of all football clubs in Banjul) continues to lead the endorsement race in the first division alongside president Peter Gomez of west coast Radio and his Banjul United football club. We find solace in the second division teams and allied associations that have shouldered this camp.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as we are 47 days away from elective the congress, I am pleased to inform you that our chances of sweeping the August polls have never been higher inshallah. Therefore, all we wait for is to Finish the countrywide tour in Banjul, then present you the dynamic Team that is gonna steer the football affairs of this country in the next four years with a woman coming in as a Vice president for the first time in the history of Gambian Football.
