Veteran Women Football players have Stormed the  Sierra Leone Football Association  headquarter  demanding respect and free hands to run female football in the country.

Musu Pele, a former renown female Player in the country was among the protesters demanding better improvements of the game in the country.

The protest came against the backdrop that SLFA has been  withdrawing from some  International Female CAF and FIFA Qualifier as a result of lack of funds or sponsorship. Besides, a majority of the female footballers in the country feel like they are being discriminated against because of their Gender.

It’s no secret that the Sierra Leone Football Association and the government give out a huge chunk of their budget to support the male football team, Leone Stars while the country still lacks a functioning female premier league

However, the Sports minister Ibrahim Nyelenkeh once made a public pronouncement to harmonise payment for senior national teams in a bid to improve the women’s game, and give equal treatment to all. However, the female U20 team faced a backlash  in terms of payment of during their recent qualifiers contrast to $28,00 given to Leone given to each Leone stars players.

The Minister once told the Minister that “We decided to harmonise match appearance fee so that we can see how best we can motivate the female footballers to develop the women’s game,” he told BBC Sport Africa.

“The female footballers have been left out for far too long.”The male and female teams are serving the same purpose so I don’t see any reason for us to pay the female team less.

“It’s never too late because we’ve been working on it, the policy doesn’t have to come within twinkle of an eye, and it’s a process, that’s why we’re here today.”

“The SLFA played great role in putting together the policy because they’ve been dealing with these players.

“We as a ministry are responsible to pay the players, but we don’t work in isolation. We sat down with the SLFA and worked out the whole policy.”

The minister also hopes the move to equal pay will serve as an incentive to develop women’s football and see a growth in the number of players.

“This is a huge boost and motivation for female football in Sierra Leone,” he insisted.

“In fact this a challenge we’ve thrown to the female footballers – you must prove yourself before you’re called up to the senior national team.

“I know players will now put more efforts in their game to fight for place in the national team, they’ll have to prove their mettle to be called upon.”

“For now the policy is only meant for the two senior national teams. We’re on it for the other categories of national teams when once we complete we’ll make it known.”

The Sierra Leone women’s team is in doubt whether they will now be hoping to continue to play regular international football as a result of absence of sustainable sponsorship.

Under the reign of Madam Isha Johansen, Sierra Leone  hosted the West Africa Female Union tournament which was the first competitive female competition in the country and it saw them exit in the group stage on home soil after three draws with Cape Verde, Guinea and Senegal.

However, the development of women’s football in Sierra Leone faces challenges present throughout the continent. Domestically, it faces its own issues including the lack of a women’s domestic competition and the decline in popularity of the sport among women.