By Alpha barrie

Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq, the Executive Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), has confirmed that the Government of Sierra Leone has approved NLe20 million to finance Leone Stars’ FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Djibouti and Burkina Faso.

Leone Stars will host Djibouti on 5th May 2024 in Morocco and play away to Burkina Faso in Mali on 10th May 2024.

Dr. Abdulai made this revelation during the SLFA’s organised press conference at the Home Suite Hotel, Aberdeen, on Thursday, 30th May, 2024.

‘What the SLFA is doing is a prototype, and the other sports need to replicate it. Football is playing all around the country, and that is good because it engages the youth,’ Dr. Abdulai noted, reiterating his mandate of value for money.

On taking a new course to ensure fiscal discipline, Dr. Abdulai said government has catered for 44 individuals to make the Leone Stars trip.

‘There are many challenges in the country at the moment. We can use sports to solve these problems, and that is the reason the government is spending huge amounts of money in sports, football in particular.’

‘As the new Executive Director of the National Sports Authority, the Djibouti and Burkina Faso matches are my first and second matches. I have spoken with the Coach informally, and we need to win these matches in order to put us in a better position for the World Cup qualification in 2026. We cannot just be participants but competitors,’ he told the news conference.

Sierra Leone is in 4th place in Group D after playing two matches.

Meanwhile, the Sierra Leone delegation safely landed at Casablanca Mohammed V Airport on Friday, 31st May, 2024. The team is lodged at the Pullman Hotels and Resorts in Al-Jadida.

The delegation includes SLFA Vice President and leader of delegation, Harold Nat Johnson, Parliamentary Oversight Sports Committee Chairman, Hon. Hindolo Moiwo Gavao, NSA Director of Participation, Steven Kelfala, SLFA Director of Competition, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, Mohamed Bowen Freeman, National Safety and Security Officer, National Coordinator James Fofanah (JJ), Leone Stars Head Coach, Amidu Karim and team, the medical team, home-based players, and sports journalists from various media houses.