The secretary of state for Youth and Sports, Mr Sheriff Gomez, has reaffirmed President Jammeh’s unflinching support for The Gambia’s national teams, more especially The Gambia Under 17 team that is gearing up for the 8th edition of the African Under 17 Championships tournament in Algeria next month.

Presiding over the launch of a special marketing committee tasked with raising the needed funds to facilitate The Gambia Under 17 team’s participation in the Algerian youth event yesterday, SoS Gomez said: “The president, Professor Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, said he is firmly behind the Under 17 team as they prepare for the continental bout. I am therefore calling on all stakeholders to join hands and ensure the team’s successful participation.”

Hailing the Gambia Football Association for setting up such a committee, the Youth and Sports supremo described the move as a laudable initiative that is worthy of emulation by other sports associations.

The 12-member committee, which is headed by Major-General Langtombong Tamba, the first vice president of the Gambia Football Association, also has as members Mrs Sira Wally-Njie (deputy managing director of Nawec), Omar Danso (Africell), Ousman Wadda (GPA), Kemo Ceesay (GFA), Abdoulie Jallow (Central Banjul), Malang Jasseh (Youth & Sports), Gibby Bah, Habib Jeng (businessmen), and veteran journalists, Lamin Manga and Haruna Drammeh.

Commenting on the composition of the marketing team, Secretary of State Gomez said he has great confidence that they will live up to expectations. Speaking earlier, the committee chairman, Major-General Langtombong Tamba tasked institutions - both public and private - to come forward and help the operation, which is geared towards ensuring the country’s successful participation in the Algerian event which also doubles as qualifiers for the 2009 FIFA Under 17 World Cup to be hosted in Nigeria later in the same year.

Thanking the Youth and Sports department for its support and collaboration to the GFA, Tamba said the government and the football association cannot do it alone, hence the need for the companies’ participation.

He assured the Under 17 team that they will not walk alone, hinting that the team will be well equipped ahead of the eight-nation tournament, which is scheduled to take place between March 19 and April 3, 2009.

Yesterday’s gathering at the President Jammeh Joint Officers’ Mess in Kotu was attended by scores of football enthusiasts including players and officials of the Gambia Under 17 team and members of the National Scorpions Fan Club. Baby Scorpions’ skipper, Matarr Jobe, delivered the vote of thanks.