The National Coordinating Committee NCC, tasked to supervise the country’s participation in next year’s Afcon yesterday hosted a press conference, to share information on its activities.
Musa Sise Spokesman of the NCC and head of the media sub-committee reported that a key activity of the committee shall be the fundraising, which is targeting about D120M.
He said in the not-too-distant future the NCC will come out with fundraising campaign materials and plans aimed at getting the public to be involved in the process.
“There will be memorabilia to be put on sale for the public to buy, as well as plans to engage the civil service for workers to contribute to the campaign. There are also going to be sponsorships and partnerships with private sector enterprises, such as banks, GSM companies, Real Estates among others,” Mr Sise told journalists.
He further disclosed that the NCC will take the campaign nationwide with regional launchings to be conducted at regional capitals. While introducing members of the media sub-committee to the public, Mr Sise urged the Gambian media in general to give maximum coverage to the NCC’s activities.” Like any other national activity, our job remains crucial to this project too and as Gambians we owe it to our nation to ensure an effective participation in the Africa Nations Cup’,’ he said.
Sise said the NCC has also noted the importance of a large presence of the media in Cameroon and will explore every means to make it possible.
The vice chairman of the NCC and president of the Gambia Football Federation, Lamin Kaba Bajo reported that the national team will be traveling to a preparatory camp in Morocco next week, while another is planned for November and December in the run-up to the tournament in January. Commenting on the fund raising Bajo said at the moment apart from the D500,000 pledged by President Barrow, the NCC has not received any money yet which makes its task even more pressing with just a few months to the event. He said the NCC’s target is about D120 million and noted the various ways and means of raising. He said the NCC is aware of the importance of fans in a major event like this and certainly it will work to get Gambian fans to the event. The Committee would hold regular press meetings on its activities ahead of the tournament.
