By Binta Jaiteh
The Public Utility and Regulation Authority (PURA) yesterday presented a D1 million (one million dalasi) cheque to the AFCON 2024 National Coordinating Committee (NCC) AFCON 2024 campaign.
Speaking during the presentation held at PURA’s office along Kairaba Avenue, Yusufa M Jobe, Director General of PURA said this is a huge achievement.
“President Barrow and the VP tasked the Gambians to come in whole and in full support of this important event that our youths have been fighting for and have achieved beyond expectations,” DG Jobe iterated in his remark.
He said the presentation has to do with the country’squalification to the AFCON for a second time consecutively which he said is a huge achievement that Gambians cannot relent to go on notice or unsupported.
“We therefore deemed it necessary to give the little we have to this important national event. We are always in support of youth affairs,” he disclosed.
However, he challenged other institutions to emulate, support, and motivate the youths into sports and also the country in anything.
Honourable Bakary Y Badjie, Minister of Youth and Sports said the Gambia has made a significant strive in the past years but more so in the last four years in terms is our success in going to AFCON.
He stated, “As we succeeded in going for the second time it has left a remarkable mark and that is why we appreciate the efforts that PURA has been making over the years.”
Minister Badjie thanked PURA for such a donation considering this moment at the end of the year which can be challenging.
“I hope we will come out with the trophy, as we have confidence in the scorpions,” he reiterated
“I don’t think there is anything that gives hope to young people more than sports and as well as anything that unites us more than sports” the Minister of Sports added.
Bakary Jammeh, first Vice President of the Gambia Football Federation said this is significant to the country not for prestige but since the qualification of the Scorpions team to AFCON, the sector of youth and sports not only for football has produced nearly forty-five young men and women professionals signing contracts outside the country.
Saying it is “More foreign exchange coming into the country, more socio-economic development activities which transcended to all sectors.” He, therefore, thanked PURA for their noble gesture.