Monrovia – The much-anticipated 2024/2025 National County Sports Meet has suffered a setback nine days to the official kick-off following the Ministry of Youth and Sports announcement Friday.
By Christopher C. Walker, [email protected]
The annual sports event aims to unite the Liberians and is played among the 15 sub-divisions of the country. Its objective is to scout talents for the various national teams of Liberia, and as such, objectives are key to sports development and peace promotion.
Grand Cape Mount County was named the official host County of the 2024-2025 National County Sports Meet, which was expected to kick off on December 15 2024 to January 16.
Youth and Sports Minister Jeror Cole Bangalu informed the various counties that the tournament has been postponed, announcing that the new date is now January 12, 2025.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports in a press conference on December 6 disclosed that financial constraints and ongoing preparations at some of the host venues in counties are reasons for the postponement.
“We want to undertake the National County Sports Meet in a very special and unique way, and because we have not satisfactorily completed what is required to make the County Meet that satisfactory, the way we want it, we have decided to give ourselves a few more days. So, instead of the 15th of December, the 2024-2025 County Meet will now commence on January 12, 2025”, Youth and Sports Minister, Jeror Cole Bangalu, stated.
Despite the statement from the MYS, FrontPage Africa has been informed that the real reason for the postponement of the county meet is because the national budget is yet to be passed.
Up to Friday, December 6, 2023, the eve of the tournament resumption, the venue for the official opening ceremony in Fish Town, River Gee, wasn’t prepared. Participating counties didn’t receive money, player cards, and other technical assistance.
Up to Friday, December 6, 2024, the venues for other host counties for the preliminary rounds weren’t prepared, moreover, participating counties didn’t receive money, player cards, and other technical assistance.
This year’s edition of the county will feature football, kickball, basketball and for the first-time female football.
It’s the second time under the leadership of Joseph Boakai as president the Country Meet has been postponed.
In 2023, a day before the kickoff of the County Meet, it was announced by then Sports Minister D. Zohar Wilson that the tournament would not be held.
In a statement issued Minister Wilson said the decision to postpone the sporting festival was based on precedence. “In 2017, the transitional team of then-President-elect George Manneh Weah requested the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf government to kindly leave the hosting of the National County Sports Meet for the Weah-led Government to host, and Madam Sirleaf’s government agreed.”
In the same vein, the Transitional Team of President-elect Joseph Nyuma Boakai had made a similar request, and President George Weah had accepted,” the Sports Minister said.
Political involvement
During the national event, political leaders identified with their various counties, including the President of Liberia. The counties’ expectations of support rely on the Government officials from the counties who, in return, will need their support for political seats.
Records have shown that some politicians have played key roles in their county’s success. The County Sports Meet will continue to be the most watched and attractive tournament in Liberia because of its attachment to the people of Liberia.
County loyalty’
People from the various counties tried to show respect and love for their county by displaying a symbol of the county they support at the Stadium and in their communities. It is a tournament for Liberians who come from any of the 15 counties of Liberia. But some citizens have faced double loyalty when it comes to supporting a particular county due to inter-tribal marriage.
The traditional aspect
Liberia has its own culture similar to other African countries, and that can be seen during the county meet. The county sports meet is the biggest sport festival in Liberia that is played annually.
The groups for this year’s tournament include
Group A
Bong
Grand Bassa
Maryland
Bomi
Group B
Grand Gedeh
Grand Kru
Montserrado
Margibi
Group C
Sinoe
River was
Lofa
Gbarpolu
Group D
Grand Cape Mount
Nimba
River Gee
