GACH Mining Company-sponsored football tournament for six coastal communities within Kombo South and Sanementereng has kicked off in Tujereng.
The over D450,000-sponsored event was graced by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gambia, Angola, China Holding (GACH) Company, Dr. Abunakary Jawara, local dignitaries, sports enthusiasts, and a cross-section of the communities to foster unity and understanding within the communities while promoting sportsmanship and good health.
Speaking at the launching ceremony that preceded the kick-off at Tujereng, Amadou Manneh, site supervisor of GACH Mining Company, said the activity is part of the corporate social responsibility plans of the company with a view to ploughing back part of the resources accrued from their mining activities.
The football tournament will help to promote peace, unity, and understanding among the youth-folk, as well as enhance good health and sports development within the coastal communities, he said, adding that the six communities of Brufut, Bato Kunku, Tujereng, Sanyang, Gunjur, and Kartong are participating in the tournament.
The site manager reiterated that the tournament is solely sponsored by the GACH Mining Company to the tune of over four hundred and fifty thousand dalasis (D450,000). He also said the winners of the tournament will receive D250,000 and runners-up D100,000, while the tournament’s best player, best goalkeeper and leading goal scorer each will go home with D10,000.
Cherno Njie, Chairman of Tujereng, Village Development Committee (VDC), and Fabakary Marenah, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the GACH Kombo Coastal Tournament, all hailed the mining company’s foresight and wisdom to sponsor such an important initiative, reiterating that the tournament would bring the communities together, promote sports development and foster good neighbourliness.
They also called on the youth to promote peace, tolerance, and understanding throughout the tournament, while expressing their delight regarding the gesture manifested by the company in investing in the growth and advancement of the youth.
The icing on the cake was the presentation of D25,000 during the launching ceremony to each participating team, a piece of jersey to all teams as well as footballs to the teams and the Local Organizing Committee.
The opening match of the tournament played at the weekend at the Tujereng Community Football Field between the host Tujereng and Bato Kunku, ended in favour of the latter on a 2-1 aggregate.
