By Morlai Sesay
The Director of Participation and Sustainable Sport at the National Sports Authority (NSA), Steven Keifala, has declared full support for the Constitutional Review Committee. Keifala confirmed on Radio Democracy 98.1Fm that they made the foregoing declaration at the official launch of the Sierra Leone National Paralympic Committee's Constitutional Review and Strategic Plan (SLNPCCRSP) at the Ark Center, Robert Street, Freetown.
Director Keifala further underscored the significance of having a robust constitution for associations to gain government funding and international recognition. He emphasized the need for the constitution to be updated to meet the evolving needs of the current situation.
“We support the constitutional review because having an updated constitution is vital for associations to receive recognition and support,” Keifala stated. He pledged the NSA’s financial backing for the Sierra Leone National Paralympic Committee (SLE-NPC), assuring that they had allocated funds in their 2024 budget to support their initiatives.
Addressing the Paralympic Committee, Keifala commended their efforts, expressing confidence that the updated document would address the organization’s growth needs. He stressed the importance of aligning the constitution with present-day trends, athlete needs, governance structures, and infrastructural improvements.
Highlighting key observations, Keifala urged associations to include conflict resolution mechanisms within their constitutions to safeguard unity and peace. He advocated for the establishment of a body for conflict resolution and proposed the NSA as the next resort for unresolved issues, promoting the idea of a sports-related court of arbitration.
Keifala also highlighted NSA’s commitment to developing disability sports, mentioning efforts to create a dedicated desk for disability sport-related issues two years ago. However, due to funding constraints, recruitment for this position remains pending.
“The NSA aims to provide an enabling environment for sports development. We are keen on supporting associations and ensuring that conflicts are resolved internally without resorting to legal actions,” Keifala concluded.
This endorsement from Steven Keifala emphasized the NSA’s commitment to ensuring sports associations’ smooth operations and advancement in Sierra Leone.
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