CI-NEWS

PWD supporters /Sports lovers give FECAFOOT NW challenging task!

2019-09-10

No: 446

PWD supporters /Sports lovers give FECAFOOT NW challenging task!

By Etoh Anzah George in Bamenda.

In a post-election declaration, Mbigha Njah Felix assured media actors in the North West of the provision of a football pitch to which he insisted will play host to Elite 1 and 2 matches. He took over from John B Ndeh (former president and one time CPDM Santa section president) who had been at daggers drawn with Kaba Christopher (then SG of the institution) over mismanagement and mishandling of funds. Both parties through an Abdouraman Sadi protest saw themselves kicked out to make way for a normalisation committee. The resultant committe saw Joseph Owona as president who later handed power to Tombi Aroko Sidiki. At this point the Mankon Municipal stadium was said to be under reconstruction as semi preparatory phase works were laid. Little did many know the ground works were going to be politicized, leaving sports lovers with nothing to hope for and further endangering them with the task of covering miles just to watch her seeds display their football talents at the Yong Sports Academy field (a patchy structure constructed by Yong Francis) proprietor of YOSA and its related institutions.

To compound matters, in view of the ongoing socio political crisis in the region, the Mile 6 Ntenefor area where the YOSA academy is situated has been one of the hardest hit areas within the Nkwen municipality with deadly clashes resulting to uncountable casualties. As time it self is said to be the wind that harbours change, 3 years have since passed with the said first set of equipments being abandoned with no works progressing. That is why the election of the youthful Mr Njah Felix has rekindled hope among football lovers that the long-abandoned stadium project would be resuscitated. They only expect words to be matched with action from Mr Njah. Supporters of PWD Bamenda are worried that he is yet to make good his boast. He has been credited with negotiations with the administration and some Elite 1 clubs in the region to which subventions were given to PWD of Bamenda by NW Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique to the tune of 1 million; the hosting of a semi perfect regional interpools which saw Foncha Street FC qualify for the elite 2 championship at national level. But that is not good enough. It is therefore imperative for the native of Bamendankwe to arise and match his words with actions. Interestingly many say it’s no news to hear duty post holders at the claiming of a position promise gold and silver but never match words with actions. Sad enough the football sector in Cameroon and NW in particular has always harboured extortionists whose motives have always been to feed fat on the sports endowments of the region while the protagonists continually cry. PWD of Bamenda like YOSA were accused of owing players’ salaries and bonuses. In protest, YOSA’s captain for the 2018-2019 season, Mokoko, recently embarked on a boycott of training sessions in view of a new season. In a nutshell, the cries are many and a bucket can’t collect the tears but worst still it should be noted NW now counts 4 teams that is 2 in the elite 1 ,1 in the elite 2 male category and 1 in the elite 2 female category. This in essence will mean the already deteriorating YOSA stadium will proportionately see 2 or 3 matches being played a week. The semi muddy and sandy nature gives a jaw folding jamais vu of a pig sty look when the players walk off the pitch on rainy days with a misrepresentation of the essence of the so called professional league.

Interestingly it should be noted many knew with the hosting of the 2021 AFCON Bamenda would have at least been given a training pitch or see her pitch rehabilitated. Not only has the region registered her landmarks in the football sector, she has also seen her seeds (Adongcho Matthew AKA Mati, Kongyuy Jude, Nkafu Filbert, and Fai Collins)attain hall marks in defence of the colours of the nation, lending credence to the view that the absence of a pitch is a sign of punishment. Public investment budget allocation for the second quarter of the year has been published and the said pitch is not one of the priority projects. Thus it’s certain the worry may be carried to next year or years. The worry therefore is can FECAFOOT NW address the plight of football lovers or will the government rise up to the challenge and satisfy her own sons ? Question de temps.

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PWD supporters /Sports lovers give FECAFOOT NW challenging task!