Africa-Press – Gambia. In a landmark change-driven initiative, Africell Gambia has entered into an agreement with Real De Banjul Football Club aimed at promoting grassroots football in the country.
The signing ceremony was held at the Africell Headquarters on Kairaba Avenue on Wednesday. The partnership provides financial and infrastructural support to Real De Banjul FC, while the club is bound to provide visibility for the GSM operator.
The partnership will also provide room for player development, 24-hour internet supply, provision of phones for accessibility, fans club support, and infrastructure renovation, amongst other key provisions for football development.
Mr Hussein Diab Ghanem, the Chief Executive Officer of Africell Gambia, highlights the importance of the deal to the partners, stating that his company does not limit itself to GSM operations only, but extends its arms to human developmental initiatives in various communities.
“We do not see ourselves just as a GSM or mobile telecommunication operator only, and this is why, through our Africell Impact Foundation, we try to focus on key areas that we believe can drive change in the communities we serve,” he said. “Sports are obviously one of them. Real De Banjul FC, being one of the oldest clubs in the Gambia, has a proven track record of contributing positively to this country. Not only do they produce players that eventually play for the national team, but some of these players get exposed further outside in the international scene.” “So since our drive is to create impact in pushing Gambia, in making Gambia more recognisable, I don’t think that there is any partnership more valuable than the one we are forging here today with Real De Banjul,” CEO Hussein added.
He expresses confidence that in the coming year, a lot will be seen in the prosperity, visibility of the team reaching higher heights, and most importantly, a lot more young advancement of Gambian youth participating more in sports, especially football, shall be realised.
William Abraham, the President of Real De Banjul FC, assures his club’s commitment to fulfil its contractual agreement with Africell, describing the club as the most serious football team in The Gambia.
“We want to assure you that Real de Banjul is the most serious club in this country, and we are not going to take this partnership lightly. From our end, anything that we need to do, we will fulfil 100%. We will give you the maximum exposure that is needed to make sure that you are happy with this partnership,” he emphasizes.
Mr. William expresses joy in partnering with the country’s biggest GSM service provider, pointing out that his club remains committed to delivering its honorary duties.
Bakary K. Jammeh, the 2nd Vice President of Real De Banjul FC, commends the efforts of Africell for being side by side with the development of football, in particular in this country, for two and a half decades.
He says the club is successful and Africell is continuously successful, adding that having two success stories together could undoubtedly have a multiplier effect, outlining that the agreement is crucial ahead of the planned professionalization of the Gambian League.
“As the country gears up for professionalization of our league, this partnership is going to be one puzzle in the whole gigs of puzzles, in not only making that a reality, but heightening it, because it also gives the authorities one more ingredient that football and sports in general is not seen only as social corporate responsibility, but as an investment,” he emphasized.
Musa Ceesay, Africell’s Media Consultant, said the news of the professionalization of the Gambian League is good news to everyone who wants to be elevated to that level of football in the Gambia, affirming that Africell is about progress, impact, changing lives, and effecting changes.
Mr Ceesay states that Gambian football has taken some “very serious” strides, emphasizing that nobody can negate Africell’s participation and contribution to it.
“For the last 25 years, everything that’s been progressing about Gambian football or sports, Africell is at the forefront. So, this event is another milestone we are making today,” he added.
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