By Amara Konneh
MONROVIA (LINA)- The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Cllr. Cole Bangalu has warned all sports associations and federations in Liberia to avoid hiring and getting into an agreement that has to do with contracting coaches for national teams.
He said every contract or memorandum of understanding with have to be meticulously handled by the government. Adding, this statement comes in the wake of the processes leading to hiring Liberia Senior Men’s National Coach, Mario Marinica and his technical officials.
According MYS release, Minister Bangalu said that Senior Men’s National Team Coach, Mario Marinica who was contracted in February of this year, signed a two-year with the Liberia Football Association that was never approved by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Youths and Sports, but the Football Association wants the government to bear the liability and pay the salary of the coach and staff.
However, the two-year contract agreement signed with Coach Marinica, the amount was not mentioned in the statement issued by the Ministry of Youths and Sports.
MYS release further noted that Coach Marinica was unilaterally hired by the LFA without the Government of Liberia intervention which is embarrassing for the government as he calls on all associations and federations to avoid entering into an agreement that has binding implications for the Government of Liberia.
Meanwhile, the MYS Boss added that the ministry along with Justice and Finance Ministries will be involved in hiring process of any national and international coach for the national teams.
It can be recalled as part of effort to settle liabilities and pay salaries for the Senior Men’s National of Liberia ahead of their two encounters in the qualifiers, the Liberia National Port Authority (NPA) as a way demonstrating their Social Copprate Responsibility, gave an amount of Twenty Thousand United States Dollars (20,000)USD to the Ministry of Youths and Sports as part of coach Marinica’s outstanding salary
At the same, MYS also provided Four Thousand United States Dollars (4,000. 00) to coach Mario Marinica as part of his contract requirements and One Million Liberian Dollars (1,000. 000) towards the campaigning and training of the national team.
Adding that the Government of Liberia also provided Thirty Thousand Nine Hundred United States Dollars (309, 000. 00) to facilitate team’s travels to honor its two matches with Namibia and Sao Tome and Principe.
LINA/AK