August 9, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr
Ahmed Khanou…Ready for the next step
Minister of Sports, Ahmed Khanou, has on Tuesday, August 8 issued the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) executive committee with a-week-long ultimatum to convey an ordinary congress for its membership.
In a press conference hosted at the Atlantic Hall,Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown, the Sports Minister asked the Isha Johansen led administration to convey congress within the said timeframe or risk facing punitive action.
The country’s sports minister admitted that government is not interested in who run the Football Association (F.A) but how the F.A is run and their call for the ordinary congress is not in any way to prejudice the planned FIFA task-force.
“We respect the collaborative effort of FIFA towards the development of football in Sierra Leone, but we also have our own statutes here which should be respected. The ordinary congress is not in any way to prejudice the planned FIFA task-force,” Ahmed Khanou said, adding that they as government do aware their actions will prompt a reaction and they are ready for such.
Earlier in July, the SLFA was about to stage its annual congress on Friday July 8 which was to pave the way for the elective congress in August, but the world governing body suspended the said congress indefinitely until a task force be sent to Freetown to sort out issues at the SLFA relating to integrity checks.
The world football governing body said their decision was based on recommendations by its member associations committee-a committee which the SLFA President, Isha Johansen is a member.
“The MOU signed by its Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, the Sierra Leone’s Minister of Sport, Ahmed Khanou and Johansen had not been adhered to and as a result the same problems appear to remain unresolved,” the FIFA letter stated.
Minister Khanou called for the ordinary congress came few days after FIFA said the Johansen led administration should remain in power until integrity checks are carried out on current and potential SLFA members in order to allow elections for a new executive committee to be held.