Voinjama — Preparations have begun to ensure that the playing surface at the Lofa County sports pitch in Voinjama is changed from gravel and or grass to artificial turf.
Liberia Football Association (LFA) President Mustapha Raji led a delegation, made up of executive committee members Kelvin Bayoh, Cyrus Yenay and Tickly D. Monkoney, Jr., to begin the process.
Raji met political leaders, including Superintendent William Tamba Kamba, at the city hall in Voinjama on 10 April.
He explained that the proposed project, along with other projects, was approved at an executive committee on 11 September 2020.
"This project will be funded from the FIFA Forward 3.0 under projects. So we will need to have a deed for the land and sign a 25-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will be given to FIFA. FIFA development committee shall review our submission for approval before the bid process will be launched.
"This is part of our decentralization process. Unlike before, we now have the local leagues played in Zorzor, Kolahun, Foya and other places in Lofa. This is laudable," Raji said.
He told the gathering that soil tests will be done before the project kicks-off.
"The process is very long and we have to ensure that we complete every step properly before we can begin but the initial willingness by the local leaders and the people in general are commendable.
"The deplorable roads leading towards the project site will be a major challenge that will hinder the project but with the discussions among the local and county officials and the LFA, things can be worked on," he prayed.
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Raji presented a ball and LFA shirt to Kamba and football materials to Lofa sub-association acting chairman Amos Kpalia.
For his part, Kamba said Lofa will provide the administrative and logistic support to get the job done.
"If you are ready today, our people including me are ready. We will roll our sleeves in a joint effort to see that we also have our own stadium like other counties.
"We have 50 acres of land with the deed that is probated and our people are ready along with the local officials to make history," said an enthusiastic Kamba.
He disclosed that discussions with the Ministry of Public Works and Armed Forces of Liberia have begun to ensure an unhindered access to the project site.
The engagement was engineered by Lofa County sports steering committee chairman Momo Cyrus.
"Our people will benefit from this stadium. Jobs will be created and new talents will be discovered. Let's embrace this good initiative even though the engagement with the LFA is just the first and many steps ahead of the construction," urged Cyrus.
Raji earlier held a meeting with club owners and sub-association officials, which was attended by Bayoh, Yenay, Monkoney and Momo, where he explained about the FIFA Forward 3.0.
The trip was concluded with a tour of the proposed facility by Raji, Kamba and others.
