Africa-Press – Gambia. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has disbursed a total of D6.5 million to community sports committees across the country, reinforcing government efforts to strengthen grassroots sports development, upgrade local facilities, and expand opportunities for young people.
The funding benefits communities in the Kanifing Municipality, West Coast Region, North Bank Region, Lower River Region, and Upper River Region. Individual allocations range from D200,000 to D1 million, depending on the scope and readiness of proposed projects.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, said the initiative reflects the government’s resolve to invest directly in community-led sports development and youth empowerment.
He noted that inadequate infrastructure remains a recurring challenge in national sports discourse, pointing to unfenced football fields, the lack of barham grass, and poor or non-existent changing facilities.
“This initiative is not just about giving funds,” Minister Badjie said. “It is about communities taking ownership, executing their plans, and making lasting improvements.”
The chairman of the National Sports Council, Lamin S. Jawara, described the disbursement as the beginning of a long-term engagement rather than a one-off intervention. He explained that while the needs across the country are extensive, beneficiary communities were selected based on their initiative, commitment, and preparedness to undertake development projects.
“We applaud all the beneficiaries; it is not by chance, it is by your efforts. The little token that is given to you may not be able to address your needs, but it will go to support what you are doing at your local levels,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiary communities, Modou Cham assured that the funds would be put to effective use to enhance sports infrastructure at the community level. He expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council for their support.
“We were doing what we could, but now we have a government to complement and supplement our efforts in terms of football infrastructure development. This is definitely commendable,” he stated.
To promote accountability and effective implementation, the ministry announced that larger grants will be released in phases, with an initial 50 percent disbursement and the remaining balance paid upon satisfactory progress. Smaller grants, such as the D200,000 allocations, will be disbursed in full.
According to the ministry, the phased approach is designed to ensure transparency, guarantee project completion, and ultimately deliver improved sports facilities that serve young people in communities across the country.
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