By: Momodou Jarjue
The National Inter-Departmental Sports Association (NISA) has elected its new executive members to lead the association for the next two years at a congress held at The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) building last Saturday.
Saikou B. Jarju was re-elected president, Kalilou Bayo as first vice president, Bai Bittaye as second vice president and Laity Mbaye as third vice president. Sira Ceesay was elected secretary general while Lamin Cham Ceesay was elected as her assistant.
Momodou I. Jeng secured the treasurer’s position while Foday Manneh was elected his assistant. Ebrima Sanneh and Lamin Fadera were elected as auditor and assistant auditor respectively. Sulayman Badjie was elected as Public Relations Officer while Ebrima Bah was elected his assistant.
Saikou B. Jarju, while delivering his report, said the congress marked the association’s 19th year existence.
“For the past 19 years, NISA has been successfully staging one competition after another ranging from male and female football, volleyball, scrabble, table tennis amongst others including the annual sub-regional championship often held in different regions in Senegal over the years,” he said.
According to him, NISA has always been very consistent in its organization of sport competitions in The Gambia. He noted that it was only in 2020 when it could not organize any competition because of Covid-19 pandemic. He thanked all NISA members for their sacrifice, saying they are able to make it this far due to their dedication.
“We hope to do more in the coming years as we look back on our past achievements,” he said.
Jarju affirmed that NISA is officially registered and recognized this year by the National Sports Council (NSC). However, he said, the battle still goes on as they are yet to be recognized by The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) ,even after a series of applications to that effect. He further said in 2005, NISA establish a link with the Federation of the Senegalese Workers’ Sports’ Association (FSST). And since then, he said, the two associations have been engaged in annual exchange visits to partake in the Sub-regional Championship often organized on a rotational basis between Senegal and The Gambia, called “The Senegambian Trophy.”
“NISA is also officially registered with the Continental Body of Africa’s Workers Sports called L’OSTA (Organization du Sports Travailliste d Afrique) whose headquarters is in Yaoundé, Cameroun and the Global Body of Workers Sports called FIFCO, whose headquarters is in Canada,” he added.
Mr Jarju said NISA officials attended the last Continental Congress in Dakar, Senegal in June 2021,where President Mr. Saikou B. Jarju was nominated Executive Council Member for LOSTA in charge of the Finance and Marketing Division.
In the same vein, NISA also won the bid to host the 2023 L’OSTA Continental Games namely Afri-Foot and Afri-Volley. Two members from NISA, Kalilou Bayo, second vice president and Bai Bittaye, secretary general were also nominated members in the West African Bureau De Liaison for LOSTA.
Meanwhile, the sole objective of The National Inter-Departmental Sports Association (NISA) amongst other things, is to organize inter-departmental tournaments with a view to enhancing solidarity within the framework of enjoyment after hard-work in office; Sports for Health and Health for All; Sports for Workers Unity & Solidarity; Sports for Service Identity and Recognition, and National Recognition.
