The outgoing members of the National Sports Council whose four-year term was said to have expired recently, have expressed disappointment following the recent dissolution of Council.

The former Council members who spoke with Pointsport said they were not informed about the dissolution of Council.

According to Pa Sulay Jobe, outgoing member who represented KMC, “we were told that our time was over shortly after the appointment of the new Interim Committee, which he described as a unilateral decision made without any notice.” He said that one cannot just jump and dissolve a Sports council like that. He further went on to express disappointment about the appointment of Mr Alieu Cham, Executive Secretary of the National Sports Council, without the knowledge of the National Sports Council members. It is claimed that according to the Sports Council Act, the Executive Secretary should be appointed in consultation with the Sports Council.

Pa Sulay Jobe further also explained that their role in the sports council was to be responsible for all the affairs within the council, citing that they were never allowed to do their work as expected.

“They (the Ministry) don’t appreciate our efforts while they for their part always put the cart before the horse,” he continued.

He called for a revisit of the National Sports Council polices with the view to build a better and stronger foundation for the betterment of sports in the country.

According to the Act, he stated, the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports in consultation with Council shall appoint the Executive Secretary who shall be the administrative support staff secretary to the Council and shall carry out any duties as directed by the Council.

Matarr Faal, the outgoing National Sports Council member who represented CRR, also expressed dissatisfaction at the decision taken by the ministry to appoint a new interim committee adding that you cannot be active if your responsibilities are taken away from you.

Faal pointed out that according to the Sports Council Act, members shall spend four years in office with the option of renewal, and this he added was not done. He further added, “we always challenge them when we realize what they have done is not helping the sports council and does not go down well with us as we should have been informed before any decision was taken.”

Reacting to the story, Alieu Cham, Executive Secretary of the National Sports Council, denied the claims noting that the outgoing council members were written to in a letter dated 3rd February 2009 to attend a meeting on February 10th 2009, where they were informed that their four year term in office has expired.

Mr. Cham further went on to say that the outgoing members of the Council have no right or power to question his appointment as, according to him, the Secretary of State has the power to appoint anyone as Executive Secretary and also to renew the membership of council members when their term expires.

It could be recalled that a new interim committee was recently inaugurated by the Secretary of
State for Youth and Sports. The committee, which is expected to operate for six months, will officially hand over to a substantive council whose members will be elected by the regions and some  nominated by the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports.

The former council members were: Alagie Omar Sallah, Ms. Hanna Nana Akins, Mrs Haddy Sillah-

Njie, Alhaji Biri Njie, Mr Jammeh EK Bojang, Lamin King Colley, Bakary Sanneh, Babucarr Jallow, Pa Sulay Jobe, Modou Sowe , Matarr Faal and Furu Gomez.