By Binta Jaiteh
The youth of the Manjai community have declared ownership of the Father Gough sports facilities, following tensions over the management of the Manjai Sports Complex.
The announcement comes after youth in Manjai Kunda staged a protest against the closure of the complex, which prevented them from playing a match as part of the ongoing Manjai Festival. The protest prompted police intervention and resulted in multiple arrests.
Speaking on Friday at Manjai Park, Dominic Mendy, Secretary-General of the Village Development Committee, said the land originally formed part of the historical farmlands of the Manjai community before being earmarked for the defunct SeneGambia Confederal Army barracks.
“The SeneGambia Confederation was dissolved and the barracks were never built. The land remained farmland until it was integrated with the adjacent football field to accommodate nearby residential buildings in the early 1990s,” he explained.
Mendy stressed that the construction, maintenance, and management of the sports facilities have traditionally been under the control of Manjai Kunda through its elected representatives. “The facility is a community asset, built, maintained, and preserved by the people for the benefit of all, including residents of surrounding communities,” he added.
He accused the Manjai Sports Association (MSA) of assuming total control of the complex in recent years, managing it without accountability. “For many years, the MSA has rented out the facility for events, including musical shows, without reporting revenues to the community. This is unacceptable, and we are here to put a stop to it,” Mendy said.
He further declared that “any existing bookings, reservations, or payments made through the MSA or its agents are null and void. No events arranged under their name will be honored or permitted at the complex.”
Habibou Barry, Public Relations Officer, said the community park has often been a source of dispute. He alleged that the Newetan Committee claimed the council had leased part of the land to an individual, Hamza Barry, for 25 years.
Barry accused the councilor of neglecting the community and emphasized that, henceforth, the park will be managed by the youth without external negotiations.
The community insists that the football field is intended for youth activities, educational purposes, and community development, rather than exploitation or commercialization by a few individuals.
