Honourable Member of Parliament, Madam Fatmata Serah Soukenah of the West-East Urban District, has commended the National Sports Authority (NSA) for its pivotal role in advancing sports development in Sierra Leone.

She expressed these sentiments during the NSA’s 2025 budget appropriation hearing held at the State Hall Committee Room Six on Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

“The establishment of the NSA in 2017 has transformed and re-positioned the sports sector in the country. With the recent appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai as the Executive Director of the NSA, sports have become more lucrative. The government must invest further in this thriving industry,” she remarked.

Honourable Tamba Seimoen Johnny also urged the NSA to expand its focus beyond football, emphasizing the importance of promoting other sporting disciplines such as cricket, volleyball, basketball, and swimming, which consistently bring accolades to the nation.

In his address, Dr. Abdulai appealed to parliamentarians to champion increased funding for sports infrastructure development.

“The NSA is just as essential as other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). It directly creates employment opportunities for the youth of this country.

“Our 2025 budget prioritizes infrastructural development across all regions and districts over competitions. Therefore, I implore you, our lawmakers, to approve and enhance our budget allocation to ensure we can extend sports development to every corner of Sierra Leone,” Dr. Abdulai stated.