One of SWAL’s key frustrations is that two former LFA presidents, now Nimba Representative Musa H. Bility and Bomi Senator Edwin M. Snowe, have also signed the 2024 sports budget.
Monrovia, July 10, 2024: The Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL) has described the allotments made for sports development in the 2024 national budget as mockery.
The group issued a press statement in Monrovia on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, saying it was disheartening that sports, particularly football, continue to receive back-kick despite the presence of several sporting personalities.
SWAL named two former Liberia Football Association (LFA) presidents, Nimba Representative Musa H. Bility and Bomi Senator Edwin M. Snowe, at the Legislature.
With over US$7 million in the 2024 national budget for the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), US$150,000.00 was allotted each for the National Football and the National County Sports Meet (NCSM).
According to SWAL, the Table Tennis Association got 258 USD, Up Country Basketball was allocated US$3,691, Grassroots Sports Development received US$1,230.00, and the Liberia Chess Federation was allotted US$1,230.00.
It continued that US$246.00 was also allotted for the Liberia Volleyball Federation, US$246.00 for Track and Field, and US$738.00 for the Liberia Kickball Federation (LKF).
SWAL lamented that Africa’s triple champions, the National Amputee Team, were given US$3,400.00, while the Liberia Karate Federation was allotted US$258.00.
The release stated further that the Liberia Athletic Federation (LAF) received US$24,276.00.
Disgustingly, US$1,230.00 was allocated for Liberia’s second most popular sport, Basketball, and Inter School Sports Association received an allotment of US$492.
SWAL noted that a little over US$3,37,000.00 was appropriated for sports, one of the least allotments in recent years.
SWAL wonders how the legislators, many high-ranking sports enthusiasts, put pens to paper to approve US$1,230.00 for basketball and US$150,000.00 for national football.
The sports writing body believes the amount allotted to the various disciplines does not manifest the sporting sector’s current financial challenges.
The organization asserted that sports is a key area of employment, whether short—or long-term, for the majority of young people.
Therefore, it called for the government’s willingness to support the sector. SWAL further lamented that the allotments made for the national teams, kickball, basketball, and volleyball federations are pocket changes that will further strangulate those disciplines.
The Press Union Of Liberia (PUL) auxiliary emphasized that it must be holistic if the Boakai-Koung leadership is serious about the “so-called RESCUE and ARREST” agendas.
It frowned against turning a blind eye to the important role of sports in national development.
SWAL called on sports stakeholders to join hands and vigorously campaign for increments in the next budget.—Press release
