Sports Minister Uchizi Mkandawire applauds FAM’s commitment in developing sports
Minister of Youth & Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire has commended Football Association of Malawi (FAM) for its commitment and vision in developing sports by creating platforms where talented young players can display their skills and realize their dream of becoming future soccer stars.
The Minister made the remarks on Wednesday at Nsanje Youth Centre where he was the guest of honour during the ground breaking ceremony for rehabilitation works of Nsanje Community Stadium, which will be constructed by FAM with support from FIFA.
Mkandawire disclosed that sports infrastructures is a very huge challenge in the country as many districts are lacking proper facilities where youths can meet and showcase their talent.
He thus commended FAM for securin
g assistance from FIFA to help construct a modern stadium in Nsanje, which he said will play a great impact once it is completed in as far as unearthing raw talent in the district, economic empowerment through businesses among others.
“It is the wish of the government to construct sports infrastructures with the little resources we have but it becomes hard to reach every district because of inadequate funds,” he said.
“What FAM has done today is very commendable because if we are to develop sports and build strong national teams, we need to have good facilities. We, therefore, promise to support FAM and make sure this infrastructure benefits the people of Nsanje and Malawi at large.”
On his part, FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said the official launch of construction of Nsanje Stadium is a dream come true he has been having since the time he was playing active football in Nsanje — which is his home district and also as FAM to help contribute in improving infrastructure in the rural areas as they are key to sports development.
Nyamilandu further expressed optimism that the stadium will change the face and standard of football in the area in improving performance of Nsanje-based teams and that through it the district will produce a Super League club.
“The future of Malawi is not in urban areas only but also in the districts but the only setback is lack of proper structures,” he said. “So, as FAM we always fight to bridge that gap because rural areas is where a pool of talented players are based.
“We are very encouraged with the good existing relationship which is there between FAM, Malawi National Council of Sports, the Government and all the football stakeholders because, through their guidance, we are able to things in a right way.”
He, however, pleaded for a consideration from government to remove some duties on the construction materials for the project, saying: “It wasn’t easy to come up with a simple and magnificent structure because the cost estimates were huge as you know inflation has not spared any industry.
“The cost of cement has gone up now and the K500 million we received from FIFA was insufficient and cost estimate we had of project of this nature was about K900 million and we had to sit down with the contractor to renegotiate.
“We managed to renegotiate some of the costs but there is an element of duty — value added tax (VAT) hence our request to Malawi Government to take onboard it on. Lucky enough, the Ministry of Sports has challenged to take the responsibility to discuss with the Ministry of Finance knowing that this development is not for FAM but for the community as it will uplift Nsanje through entertainment and the future of the youths will be grate.”
Also present was deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity & Culture, Owen Chomanika, who described the project as crucial to development, saying the stadium will help to assist the district to be urbanized.
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