As part of their five-day mission in Belgium, a delegation from the Sierra Leone National Sports Authority (NSA) has met with Madam Lizette Subach, the Managing Director of the Brussels Sports Association, to develop ways that would help the NSA to positively change the dynamics of Sierra Leone’s sporting development.
The team comprised Dr Abdul Raham Swaray, Dpt. Executive Director and leader of the delegation; Mr Thomas Ngolo Katta, Commissioner NYC, Alie, Sesay Director Cooperate Cooperation and Albert Bernabas Lebbi, Head of Finance. During the engagement with the Brussels Sports Association, the Managing Director suggested exchange programs between the two associations as well as technical support to boost the sporting disciplines in Sierra Leone.
In his statement, Dr Swaray briefed the Managing Director about the creation of the NSA and explained its roles and responsibilities relative to the promotion, regulation and development of sports, together with the required facilities and requisite training to ensure that Sierra Leonean athletes represent the country adequately on global platforms.
He disclosed that the goal of the engagement was to look at ways to build bridges to connect with sporting associations across the world. He went on to say that the pilot phase project was with the Belgian brass and sports association, adding that “our intention is to meet with all key stakeholders and share our vision”.
“Our mission is to aid the development of sports in Sierra Leone, utilising the connection to explore relationships that would benefit the people of Sierra Leone,” Dr Swaray revealed.
Dr Swaray pointed out that Sierra Leone has a population of just over 7 million people, with 49 registered sporting disciplines and football being the most popular.
Referencing the UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 4, which emphasise the mantra of leaving no one behind, Commissioner of the Youth Commission and Board member of NSA, Ngolo Katta, noted that sports were considered a way of leaving no one behind as they help in education as well as the well-being of people. The process, he added, also speaks to Sierra Leone’s National Development framework that places education, sports and development in the same bracket.
The Youth Commissioner also stated that sport could unite young people, build resilience, build capacities, provide employment, and create an atmosphere to enhance peaceful coexistence in society. “We can only achieve that through the opportunities created through public-private partnerships and institutional capacity building, which creates opportunities for knowledge transfer.”
In her statement, the Director of the Brussels Sports Association in Brussels, Madam Lizette Subach, explained the different sporting activities they were engaged in and how they encouraged kids to participate in those activities.
She explained how far they had come from being just an informal group to becoming an established nonprofit body operating in Brussels.
She then talked about the challenges the association faced during the peak of COVID-19, which, she said, “negatively impacted the group’s activities”.
Earlier today, the NSA team met with the staff of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Brussel, during which the Deputy ambassador, Harold Bundu Saffa, heartily welcomed the delegation and thanked them for engaging the different sporting authorities in Belgium. He emphasised the power of sports in bringing people of different backgrounds together and encouraged members of the NSA and Sierra Leoneans generally to keep doing their best in actualising the vision of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio in all areas of national endeavour.