Officials of the Gambia Athletics Association, GAA, yesterday said the multi-million dalasi project to build the first ever headquarters for athletics in The Gambia is gradually progressing, but admitted more funds are needed to realise its completion.
In 2012, The Gambia Government allocated a plot for the construction of a complex to house the headquarters of The Gambia Athletics Association and other facilities following an application by the latter.
Two years on, Standard Sports yesterday visited the site behind the SSFHC Offices near the Independence Stadium to find work stalled by rains.
Contacted to comment on the slow progress of work, GAA president Dodou Joof said while they were very grateful to The Gambia Government for the project, they have not yet raised the required money to build the facility to plan. “At our local level, the GAA has so far spent close to D100,000 processing papers and erecting a foundation to kick start the fence. But the recnt heavy rains have hampered works,” he said.
Mr Joof said since the acquisition of the land, his body has made use of contacts and friendly athletics nations around and beyond the region to raise funds for the project and that they are “vigorously” pursuing those connections.
“This is not a small project but we are very determined to carry it to fruition so that the future of athletics would be brighter than our time both as athletes and administrators. This is my dream since I took over the GAA,” Joof said.
When completed, the athletics house will have offices and multi-purpose halls and rooms designed to host conferences among other functions.
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