By Kebba Ansu Manneh
GACH Mining Company Kombo Coastal Football Tourney sponsored by the GACH Company for six coastal communities within Kombo South and Sanementerreng has kicked off in Tujereng on Saturday 25th March 2023.
The tournament is sponsored to the tune of D450, 000.00 and the opening match was graced by the Chief Executive Officer of Gambia- Angola China Holding (GACH) Company, Ambassador Abubakary Jawara, local dignitaries, and sports enthusiasts among other spectators. The tournament is meant to foster unity and understanding within the communities, while it as well promoting sportsmanship and good health.
Speaking at the launching ceremony preceding the kick-off in Tujereng football field, Amadou Manneh, Site Supervisor of GACH Mining Company, disclosed that the activity is part of the corporate social responsibility plans of the company with the view to plow back part of the resources accrued from their mining activities to the people.
He added that the football tournament will help to promote peace, unity, and understanding among the youth-folk, and enhance good health and sports development within the coastal communities.
He noted that six (6) communities including Brufut, Batokunku, Tujereng, Sanyang, Gunjur, and Kartong are participating in the tournament.
He reiterated that the tournament is solely sponsored by the mining company at the tune of over four hundred and fifty thousand dalasi (D450,000), adding that winners of the tournament will bag D250,000, runners-up will take D100,000, while the tournament’s best player, best goalkeeper and leading goal scorer will go home with D10, 000 each.
Cherno Njie, Chairman Tujereng, Village Development Committee (VDC), and Fabakary Marenah, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the GACH Kombo Coastal Tournament all hailed the mining company’s foresight and wisdom to host such an important initiative which will promote sports development and foster good neighborliness.
They also called on the youths to promote peace, tolerance, and understanding throughout the tournament, while expressing their delights regarding the gesture manifested by the company is investing in the course of the youths.
The launching ceremony also witnessed the presentation of D25,000 to each participating team, a piece of jersey to all teams as well as footballs to the teams and the Local Organizing Committee. In the same vein, on Saturday, 25th March 2023, Ambassador Abubakary Jawara, CEO of GACH Company presided over the opening ceremony of the tournament that was played at the Tujereng Community Football Field between the host Tujereng and BatoKunku ending in favor of the later by 2-0.
