August 18, 2017 By: Jariatu S. Bangura
Minister of Sports, Ahmed Khanou has said it is either the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) executive committee complies with the rules in their statute or the government takes decision through parliament or his ministry under the commands of the president.
The Sports Minister made the above statement on Thursday (17 August) while giving his submission to members of the Parliamentary Committee on Sport on the current impasse in the football family.
“We’ve told the SLFA to go to congress and then present their report which has never been done. They are playing politics with this and yet the FA president does not want political interference.
“The burning issues currently is they either comply to the rules in their statute which is within the frame work of their constitution or government will make decision through parliament or my ministry which works under the commands of the country’s President” Ahmed Khanou said.
The Minister further stated that there was no issue between his ministry and SLFA but that of SLFA and its membership.
He said: “I was appointed to provide leadership and create a level playing field to everybody in the football arena. Let her go and do her work properly,” adding that one cannot continue to hide under the umbrella of political inference while doing the wrong things.
Hon. Alhassan Kamara, a member of the committee said nobody is against the SLFA president, Isha Johansen neither the Minister wanted her to step down, but as a committee they wanted to see peace reign in the association.
He said: “We want her to go to the membership and conduct congress, if her time is up, let he go and renew her mandate in congress, even members of parliament after every five years we do the same. We are tired as a nation of these scrabbles; media war and so on. We are appealing to them to go to congress.”
Other members of the committee also suggested that the two parties come together and ensure the congress is held for the happiness of football loving Sierra Leoneans.