May 17, 2019
By Sahr Morris Jnr
SpAN Coordinator, Steven Keifala
The Sport Advocacy Network (SpAN) has urged the Ministry of Sports to quickly implement the country’s National Sports Authority Act of 2018 and the National Sports Policy.
In a letter dated May 15 2019 signed by the organization National Coordinator, Steven Keifala, the ministry’s attention was drawn to the pronouncements of President Julius Maada Bio in his maiden and recent address to parliament, in which he underlined principles of government bordering on the rehabilitation, development and promotion of sports in the country to standardize the legal framework on the governance of sport entities.
“Sport Advocacy Network (SpAN) view sport as an important enabler of sustainable development and we recognize the growing contribution of sport to the realization of national cohesion, peace, promotion of tolerance and respect. We also realise the contribution it will make to the empowerment of women and young people, individual and communities, as well as to health education and social inclusion objectives,” the letter reads.
SpAN stated that the National Sport Authority and National Sport Policy will greatly impact the transformation of the Ministry of Sport through the NSA to an agent of government that provides strategic guidance, supervision and monitoring of sport activities in a way that will compliment the general approach to the development paradigm in the country.
“The NSA and policy will encourage and instill a professional cooperate approach within the governance structures of sport entities, ensure that sport in schools and other learning institutions is practiced within the framework of UNESCO’s Conventions on sport and physical education by means of rendering the practice of sport and physical education as a regular, mandatory and core aspect of the school curriculum.
“Also, it will solicit and attract funding for the improvement of sport facilities in schools especially in enhancing the participation of girls and the physically challenged.”
Steven Keifala further encouraged the ministry to take an innovative approach, and urged them to dedicate time and resources to rollout, implement and sustain the NSA and the Sport Policy to fully integrate sport within the framework of the government medium-term national development plan from 2019-2023.