By Francis Tim Mbom
Cameroon’s Minister of Secondary, Prof. Pauline Nalova Lyonga, is satisfied with the state of facilities across Limbe. The seaside city shall play host to this year’s edition of FENASCO A games.
After Ngaoundere in 2023, this year is the turn of Limbe to play host to some 2,000 or more athletes and sports officials expected to come from all the ten regions in Cameroon.
The games are due in April.
With just two months left, the Minister was in Limbe on Friday, February 2, where she inspected different facilities, amongst them play grounds and lodging facilities in three schools that have been selected to host the athletes as well as some of the sporting disciplines.
Her visit took her to GTC Bimbia, the Limbe Community Field, the Centenary Stadium, Middle Farms and to GBHS Limbe and finally to GHS Limbe.
After the visit, an evaluation meeting was held where the Minister, alongside the Southwest Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai; the Southwest Secondary Education Delegate, Dr Hannah Etonde Mbua; and other stakeholders evaluated what they had seen on the field. Following this, several recommendations were then taken as to what other items will be added or done to make the organisation of the games to be the best.
Amongst the recommendations, the Minister and the Organising Committee agreed to rehabilitate the toilet facility at the Limbe Community Field and to sink a borehole and provide water that shall go to benefit both the athletes during the games and the people living around the Community Field vicinity.
“We have a tradition of always living something behind. So we are going to work on the toilets at the Community Fields and we expect that these toilets will remain so for several years to come,” she said.
The basketball court at the Community Field, the Minister added, shall also be rehabilitated.
Meantime, they also agreed to do a sports complex at GBHS Limbe that shall be used for some of the hand games such as handball, basketball and volley ball. Some work shall also be done to enhance the state of the playgrounds at GHS Limbe.
The football games shall be played at the Limbe Centenary Stadium, the Middle Farms Stadium and the 20,000-seat Ngeme Stadium shall host the opening and closing ceremonies.
Minister Nalova announced that there shall be a Minister’s Cup match, as well, at the Ngeme Omnisport Stadium.
The Minister used the occasion to call on the population, especially the youths, across Fako to refrain from any acts that might try to disrupt any of the games.
The Governor promised the Minister of his readiness and that of his collaborators to provide ample security and do all to ensure that the athletes shall enjoy the games to their fullest.
“We are honoured that the hierarchy and the Minister have chosen the Southwest and Limbe, in particular, to play host to these games. By this, we are calling on the youths to mobilise themselves to ensure that there will be no interruption of the games in any form.”
The Committee also proposed the inclusion of some private schools such as Saker Baptist College and the SONARA College to host some of the activities.