By Arfang M.S. Camara
Minister of Youths and Sports Bakary Y. Badjie has said he is optimistic that The Gambia can play its next Afcon home game in September at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
Minister Badjie made these remarks after Gambia secured first win of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Sudan played at the Stade Lat Dior in Thies, Senegal on Saturday.
Ablie Jallow (Germano) scored the game’s only goal for The Gambia (Scorpions) side at the stroke of half time.
It is very important to win our first game. We all know that getting into competition, all you want is to secure the first three points in your first match which is necessary. This victory is very important now that they (Scorpions) are going to Congo and we have hope that they will be to get a win or at least a draw and we will see what happens in September,” said Minister Bakary Badjie during an interview.
He added that with the high hopes they have in these players, together with their commitment and determination they would qualify again in the Afcon for a second time.
Asked about the government commitment to play subsequence matches at home in Banjul, minister Badjie responded that they (government) is at an advance stage with renovation process, adding that it is unfortunate that it takes a lot of time to getting the report, saying because that is not for them to do, rather they have to work with the Ministry of Work to do an assessment.
“The Ministry of Work has done the assessment and they know what needs to be done by CAF requirement. They submitted the report about two weeks ago and now we are working internally in terms of getting the right contractor to do the job.”
He added that really, contractors have been coming but they don’t want to do a job and in the end CAF come and they don’t pass.
“We want to take our time to ensure that whenever the job is complete, we will pass,” he added that “we are hoping by the end of this month (June), work would start and hopefully, in about two months we would be able to complete it. If not completed at least be good enough to allow the CAF inspection team to give a one match approval for September, and then we complete the work before December.”
Asked about whether he is hopeful that renovation progress would be made before the September game? He responded that he wouldn’t be able to give a specific date “because jobs are not done like that. Government has a lot of procedures to follow such as getting the approval from the GPPA and tender it for people to bite.”
This, he said, is not in their hands rather it is based on the regulations, adding that but they are hopeful that by the end of June, a contract will be given and work would start.
“We are hoping that by the end of August, CAF will inspect it and give us an approval for September and they then would be able to move on and complete the job after the September game.”
