The National Amputee Football of Sierra Leone will play an international football friendly with their Liberian counterparts today as a way of recognizing the untold human suffering which destruction of lives and property which ensued in Freetown following the invasion of Freetown in January 6, 1999 by rebel forces.
Albert Manley Mustapha, the Public Relations Officer of Sierra Leone Amputee Sports Association, informed Premier News on about the Friendly on Saturday January 2, 2021. He said that the match is geared towards showcasing the participant as peace ambassadors in the Mano River Union and Africa.
He further stated that the whole idea is to foster sustainable peace and love between both countries which suffered during two of the most gruesome civil wars fought as part of the struggle for democracy and blood diamonds.
He added that they have invited a host of high dignitaries among which is President Bio who will give the keynote address on sustainable peace between the two countries.
“In light of this we want to influence your measures to inform the world of our contribution to peace building activities and to raise our profile and esteem as the forgetting living legacies of the wars in both regions,” Mustapha emphasized.
Mustapha emphasized that they had faced constraints in getting funds to see that all the activities lined up went on successfully, but noted that as of Saturday January 2, 2021, they had not received any funding from both the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations.
There is going to be a procession which will start from St. John to the Siaka Stevens Stadium where the football match will take place today.
By Desmond Tunde Coker
6/01/2021. ISSUE NO:7973