Minister pushes for national sports development plan
The Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Grace Chiumia yesterday urged sports associations to work together and develop a national sports development plan.
In her key note address during a national sports conference at Malawi Sun Hotel in Blantyre, the minister said the initiative will help to ensure proper selection and training of athletes and technical officials.
“I have noticed that there is no collaboration and coordination among sports bodies. This has led to poor planning and implementation of sports programmes, resulting in poor performance in international event,” she said.
“I expect all sports bodies, led by the sports department, to develop a comprehensive national sports development plan.”
Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) president Khungekile Matiya and Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) general secretary Frank Chitembeya welcomed the development, saying it will help to uplift sports standards in the country.
She said: “It is really important for us associations to work together and bang heads because we have different skills and expertise that can benefit us all.”
On his part, Chitembeya said: “We do not need to work in isolation. We can achieve our intended goals if we join hands to develop sports. For example, we can have a deliberate plan for an athletics event to curtain raise a high profile football match.” n
