PHOTO: Mustapha I Raji, LFA President
By Amara Konneh
MONROVIA – Liberia Football Association (LFA) President, Mustapha I Raji has assured Liberians to decentralize the development of football in geopolitical subdivision of Liberia as a means of creating opportunities for young athletes through the FIFA forward fund program.
Today, under the auspices of LFA boss, the Liberia Football House has taken a positive dimension both nationally and internationally in the world of soccer development, he said.
Through his instrumentality, Liberian soccer athletes are benefiting from several initiatives evidence by the erection of a modern electronic scored board at the Antiontte Tubman Stadium and the transformation of the Tusa Field in Gardnerville to an artificial playing pitch through the “FIFA Foward Fund” as a way of creating opportunities for Liberians.
Speaking in Monrovia at the Ministry Information regular press briefing on Thursday, the LFA boss called on Liberians to remain supportive of the vision of his administration as he assures citizens to decentralize football in the country to create opportunities for everyone through the “FIFA Foward Fund” program.
The LFA President Raji stated that through the “FIFA Foward Fund” program, the people of Grand Bassa County for the first time are celebrating an artificial playing pitch that their children are using to play, adding as an institution whose mandate is to develop football, but it is a concern to opportunities and facilities for people to play.
“The vision is not just to create opportunities or facilities for people to play in Montserrado County, but we are here for Liberians in all parts of Liberia. The people in Grand Kru, Maryland, Bomi and other counties are given the same opportunities that we are doing in Montserrado. But it is going to be over time and cannot be done overnight.” The LFA boss asserted.
The LFA boss further noted that in the decentralization of football development, the people of Nimba County are about to benefit from the construction of ” Tomah Seh Floyd Stadium to an artificial playing pitch, which again will create several opportunities for the people of Sanniquelli, Nimba County in football development.
In addition, playing pitches in Vonjima, Lofa County and Grand Gedeh are expected to have artificial playing pitches for football development.
Mr. Rajii has also disclosed that said that the football governing body remains apolitical in the development of soccer and maintains that the vision of the LFA under his leadership is not just to develop football pitches, but to also build infrastructure that Liberians will benefit from. He name playing material and other services the LFA would continue to provide during matches.
At the same time, the LFA has told Journalists that the has been working with the World Bank on a project called, ‘Football for Development”.
According to him, both the World Bank, LFA and Liberian government have agreed to work together to develop three additional structures or facilities in Liberia for football development.
The project is geared towards creating opportunities for girls and boys in football, improving their health proving job opportunities because it will be implemented by a Liberians-owned company guaranteed by the World Bank.