Liberia: Raji: ‘My Promise to Improve Football Is On’ 

Monrovia — Mustapha Raji has told football and stakeholders of the game that his campaign promises six years ago to improve football at all levels still live on.

The Liberia Football Association (LFA) president was speaking Tuesday at the LFA headquarters in Congo Town when he formally declared a three-day CAF Safe Stadium Initiative workshop open.

‘’This CAF Safe Stadium Initiative workshop is part of the promises we made six years ago to Liberia, stakeholders, and football at large that we were going to improve football at all levels.

‘’In 2018, as part of our campaign statement in pursuit of the LFA presidency, we promised to not just build capacity of coaches, referees, administration, and sports medics, but at all levels evidenced that we’re utilizing ‘football money’ for football,’’ Raji said.

The three-day event, organized by the LFA with support from FIFA Forward funds, is intended to keep stadiums in Africa safe so that every spectator is protected.

The LFA president extended his immense thanks and appreciation to the presidents of FIFA [Gianni Infantino] and CAF [Patrice Motsepe]. 

In separate remarks, the LFA General Secretary Emmette Crayton described the training as a milestone for the LFA and encouraged all participants to complete the job and go out to serve as ambassadors.

‘’The workshop is a milestone for the LFA and we look forward to a full participation after which you all can go out there to be ambassadors and teach about safe stadium initiatives.

The three-day training will bring together 40 participants from the LFA Security Committee, Stadium Management, Competition Department, National Security (LNP, AFF, EPS, and National Fire Service), and Clubs.

CAF Safety Stadium Officers, retired Captain Nick Owusu of Ghana and Aboubakar Sene of Senegal, are the two facilitators for the workshop. As of yet, CAF has trained over 1,200 safe stadium officers to help control stadium safety around venues in Africa.