The Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Alhaji Mass Axi Gai, is set poise to address the needs of the national sporting associations in the country.

The sports supreme body on Saturday met with executive committees of the various sporting associations in the country with the ultimate aim of identifying their (sports associations) constraints and possible way forward for the development of Gambian sports.

During the four-hour consultative meeting, speaker after speaker lamented on the lack of technical know- how, funding and lack of good organisation, as the main constraints faced by most of these associations.

Speaking to Observer Sports shortly after the gathering, Secretary of State Gai, said the meeting was meant to identify the constraints and progress of the national associations.

“We have alongside the National Sports Council, noted down their constraints, and from here we going to formulate a policy document after which we will get the general group here again with other stakeholders to a bigger gathering, where we can develop all we talked about,” said SoS Gai, who was one time Second Vice- President of the Gambia Football Association.

Currently, a total number of twenty-five national sporting associations are registered with the National Sports Council.

However, only forty percent of these associations remain active. And the Gambia Football Association, under the leadership of Seedy Kinteh, is undisputedly the most effective and efficient association among the lots. The Gambia Tennis Association and the Cricket Associations also continue to progress steadily.