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On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, the Executive Committee of the Central One Football Association (COFA) paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq., the newly appointed Executive Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), at his Signal Hill Road office in Freetown.
The purpose of the visit was twofold: to congratulate Dr. Abdulai on his new role and to familiarize him with COFA’s operations and activities.
COFA Chairman Philipson Cline-Cole initiated the meeting by expressing his congratulations to Dr. Abdulai and commending him for his developmental strides at the NSA since his appointment two months ago. Cline-Cole highlighted COFA’s primary mission of promoting football talents and organizing competitions across various age categories. However, he pointed out that COFA faces significant financial challenges, relying mainly on member contributions and gate receipts for funding. He also noted the issue of their playing venue being in a poor state.
A major concern raised by Cline-Cole was the ban imposed by the Western Area Football Association (WAFA) on premier league players participating in the COFA league. He emphasized that the absence of these high-profile players has hindered their ability to draw public and sponsor interest. Cline-Cole appealed to Dr. Abdulai for support in persuading WAFA to lift the ban and announced that the COFA competition would commence on July 14, 2024, beginning with a seminar.
In his response, Dr. Abdulai expressed gratitude to the COFA Executive for their visit and acknowledged COFA’s significant contributions to football. He agreed that WAFA’s ban required dialogue and suggested that premier league players could participate in the COFA league during the off-season to enhance its profile. However, he clarified that the NSA could not financially support the COFA league but offered his personal assistance when feasible.
Addressing the issue of the COFA grounds, Dr. Abdulai highlighted the difficulty of managing property not owned by COFA and suggested that leasing the field on a long-term basis could attract investors. He urged COFA to develop sustainable funding strategies instead of relying on donations, proposing the establishment of a future fund sourced from a percentage of gate receipts.
Dr. Abdulai concluded by encouraging COFA to seek substantial sponsorships, emphasizing the association’s potential to attract sponsors given its size and impact. The National Sports Authority, established by an Act of Parliament, is tasked with promoting, developing, and supervising all sports activities in Sierra Leone.
