The president accompanied by SFF executive committee
member and head of competitions department, Mustaf Elmi Afrah, went on a
three-day working tour to the region’s provincial capital Kismayo at the invitation
from the regional minister for public affairs, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed.
During his working tour, the president held separate
meetings with government officials, local football authorities and football community
in the region discussing with them on several issues relating to the promotion
of football throughout the Juba Land semiautonomous state.
Main
objectives of the presidential visit
"Our working visit to the region was the first of several
tours to all regions in the country and was mainly intended to study the needs
for football promotion in the Juba Land state and it is part of our policy to
help children and youths in every tiny village in Somalia to enjoy in football”
Somali FA president, Abdiqani Said Arab, said in a press statement on Saturday.
In his post election address last year, president Abdiqani
Said Arab announced new development initiatives under the ‘spread’ the football program which is part of our four-year
strategic plans.
"We visited the city’s main football facility and other
open grounds where children play football. This was part of our preparations
for the regional football league which we are going to inaugurate next year”
president Abdiqani Said Arab, said in his press statement.
The launch of the first ever regional football league in Somalia
was one of several key development initiatives announced by the president
during his post election address last year.
"After assessing the region’s needs, we have decided to first
implement three development courses: coaching, refereeing and football
administration to be organized in November. The courses will be inaugural for
other development programs to be implemented in the region” the president
explained.
He praised the Juba Land state authorities and the region’s
local football administration for their commitment to football development. "The
regional state president, Sheik Ahmed Mohamed Islam and his minister for public
affairs, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed are football-loving leaders and during their
term in office, I am hopeful that football in the region will develop more” SFF
president, Abdiqani Said Arab accentuated.
NEXT
STEP
In the next few weeks, the Somali Football Federation
president, Abdiqani Said Arab, is scheduled to travel to the Somali regional
states of Puntland, Southwest Somalia state and then flowed by the rest states.
‘The visits will continue until we reach all states” the president mentioned in
his statement on Saturday.
