A huge step for the development of African football – CAF GS Academy participants
NFA – There will be no stone unturned as General Secretaries of CAF member associations commit to improve their soccer administration following their participation in the first-ever GS Academy workshop.
The General Secretaries from selected CAF member associations met in Windhoek for the GS Academy workshop facilitated by UEFA experts concluded last week Friday.
Mfolo Mfolo from the Botswana FA said leadership is key to give direction to stakeholders. “We should always follow the regulations and statutes of the association to ensure that we take the game forward”.
Lamin Jassey from the Gambia stressed the importance of teamwork. “It should not be random and tasks should be divided and we all go through the processes and then come together to find solutions”.
Namibia’s Barry Rukoro stated that delegating is another underlying key to the effectiveness of the association.
“Give people responsibilities to allow them to grow. The processes are very fundamental because the involvement of all members is key, especially your staff in the secretariat with their different skills,” he said.
eSwatini FA Chief Frederick Mngomezulu said the tools given during the workshop are practical and necessary for taking the game forward. “We have to respond and react and the tool-kit we got has been helpful in dealing with a case-study we got which we can all relate to and we now go back to improve on our governance as well”.
The participants learned more on crisis management, prudent financial planning and management, teamwork as well as the division of short-term and long-term issues. Concrete plans and proposals for sponsorships, marketing, communications, recruitment and the overall functioning of the association were also discussed.
The UEFA experts facilitating the workshop also called on the General Secretaries to prioritise issues for better accountability, timelines and responsibilities.
The CAF Executive Committee prescribed the CAF GS Academy initiative directed to the permanent staff of Zonal Unions and CAF member Associations to equip them with tools to improve their performances. The Academy in partnership with UEFA Assist covers governance and role of federations, the role and responsibilities of General Secretaries; financial planning, monitoring and reporting; people management, sponsorships, public funds and communication; player development; player administration and game administration.
The next leg of the CAF GS Academy will take place in Ethiopia from 5-9 November 2018, which will be followed by seminars on 14 January 2019 in Djibouti and then 25 February to 01 March in Morocco.
