Cricket Fans Urge Saffa Abdulai To Rejuvenate NSA

In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that key officials at the National Sports Authority (NSA) are allegedly supporting and protecting Francis Trevor Samura, the Chairman of Cricket Sierra Leone. At the heart of this scandal is a forged letter purportedly issued by the NSA on a Saturday, with accusations pointing towards Steven Keifala, the Director of Participation and Sustainable Sports at the NSA, as the mastermind behind the scheme. Keifala is alleged to have been manipulating investigations, delaying recommendations, and obstructing justice to safeguard Samura’s interest.
The complicity extends further, casting a shadow on Victor Hastings Spaine, Director of the National Institute of Sports at the NSA, who is alleged to have actively participated in the charade to shield Samura from scrutiny. Spaine’s purported deception during an Annual General Meeting held in 2023 of Cricket Sierra Leone and his subsequent alignment with Samura’s agenda, underscores a troubling pattern of collusion within the ranks of NSA.
The initial investigative committee established by the former Minister of Sports, Hon. Ibrahim Nyelenkeh, did not include Steven Keifala, as it was the NSA’s Executive Director who was selected to represent the organization. However, Keifala forced his way into the Committee as the Secretary, ensuring that grievances against Chairman Samura were not adequately addressed. Despite numerous concerns about constitutional breaches, misappropriation of funds, and lack of transparency, NSA officials have been accused of ignoring these issues and protecting Samura from accountability.
Following the Investigative Committee’s report, which recommended the formation of a Supervisory Committee, Steven Keifala again maneuvered to become the Chairman of that Committee, but failed to fulfill even 15% of the recommendations. Critics believe that Keifala intentionally rendered the Committee ineffective to protect Samura (as usual).
These events transpired under the leadership of the former Executive Director of the NSA, Dr. Kenneth Brima. Some believe that the actions of these key NSA officials were supported by Dr. Brima, as he also allowed the plethora of issues brought to his notice, to continue unabated. However, cricket stakeholders are hopeful that knowing who he is and what he stands for, the new Executive Director, Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, will bring integrity and transparency to the organization.
In the wake of these revelations, cricket stakeholders have expressed their profound disappointment with the conduct of officials, highlighting the lack of integrity and accountability in the governance of the sport.
Dr. Wilfred Bankole-Gibson, an elderly statesman and a prominent figure in cricket, lamented the deteriorating state of the game. He condemned the actions of the NSA officials who failed to fully implement the recommendations of the investigative committee.
Similarly, Abubakarr Bangura, Vice Chairman of the Old Edwardian Cricket Club, voiced his disappointment with the role played by officials at the NSA and the Ministry of Sports in perpetuating uncertainty and chaos within the cricket fraternity. Bangura emphasized the importance of upholding integrity and ensuring justice prevails, rather than enabling a culture of corruption and misconduct to thrive.
As the saga unfolds, the spotlight remains on the actions of the NSA officials who have been accused of supporting wrongdoing in Cricket Sierra Leone, raising serious questions about accountability, governance, and the future of the sport in the country. Some cricket proponents at home and abroad lamented that the cricket family was like a clan that lived together as one, maintaining the spirit of the game, until some officials of the National Sports Authority (NSA) and Francis Trevor Samura placed a knife among them; and now, cricket has fallen apart.