By Assan Bah
The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) on Wednesday, 21 August 2024, held a day validation workshop on the National Sports Policy 2024 – 2034 in a local hotel in Kololi.
This policy, according to the Ministry, marks a significant moment in the sports sector, following the expiration of the 2010 – 2019. This new Policy outlines the vision and aspiration of the sports community following an extensive consultation exercise with stakeholders in all the regions through the regional sports bodies.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary at the said Ministry said the process of the new draft started in 2023 following his Minister’s attendance of the Commonwealth Youth Ministers meeting in the United Kingdom in the aftermath of the Commonwealth Games.
He said: “He made a request through the Commonwealth secretariat for support in the development of a national sports policy to replace the 2010 – 2019 sports policy. It was considered and approved by the Commonwealth Secretariat.”
A national task force comprising both sports and non-sport associations and institutions was formed by the ministry to work with the team of consultants from the Institute for Sport and Development (ISD) in South Africa with local consultants working with them.
Giving her opening remarks, Madam Ndey Marie Njie, highlighted the significance of the policy saying this is the first national sports policy in the Gambia. She urged all stakeholders to scrutinise and make constructive criticisms before it is approved by stakeholders.
While recognising the efforts of all the stakeholders, she said: “The policy is not for the Ministry alone, but for the entire Gambian people, the sports body in particular.”
She concluded by expressing gratitude on behalf of the Ministry to the Commonwealth secretariat for sponsoring the development of the policy and the Minister for lobbying for the policy development.
On his part, Honourable Bakary Y. Badjie, the Minister of Youth and Sports (MoYS), said the document is significant to all sports disciplines in the country as he said the policy will replace the expired policy and set path for the development of sport in the country.
He said the document reflects the collective wish of Gambians, adding
different stakeholders were brought together to put their inputs before getting it finalised as a policy document.
He reiterated the government’s commitment in ensuring that sport is developed and said the government continues to play its role both as a regulator and a financier.
“We are committed to the development of young people to reach where they wish in their sports careers,” he said.
He said one of the highlights of the policy include the lack of sufficient sport infrastructure in the country.
“Over the decades, we have observed how our lack of infrastructure has affected our sport and talent development at our country level and our wish in this policy is that we will be able to raise as much resources as we can to invest in the development of our sport infrastructure,” he stated.
