By Helge Schutz

Copyright namibian

Deputy minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Dino Ballotti on Friday announced that the government has made N$10 million available for the Namibia Football Premier League.

This follows the withdrawal of regular sponsor Debmarine Namibia after a three-year sponsorship amounting to N$49 million.

Ballotti’s speech is as follows:

Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members and Fellow Namibians,

This afternoon I rise to deliver a ministerial statement on behalf of my Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Honorable Sanet Steenkamp, following important consultations earlier this morning with the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Ngurare, the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister, Honorable Ithete, Debmarine Namibia and the leadership of the Namibia Football Association.

As a nation, we are reminded that even our strongest corporate partners operate in a global environment shaped by external economic realities beyond our control.

Debmarine Namibia, which over the past three years has invested N$49 million into the Namibian Premiership, and in excess of N$112 million in sport in general over the past seven years, finds itself in an unfavourable financial position to renew their sponsorship at this time.

This development presents us with a funding challenge for the commencement of the Namibian Premiership Football League, also known as the NPFL. However, let it be clear to this House and to the Namibian public: this is not an impasse, but rather a reflection of a tough economic climate.

As a government and as a ministry, we wish to commend and acknowledge

Debmarine Namibia for their extraordinary contribution to football in recent years, just as we applaud MTC for their longstanding commitment to the men’s game, Namport for its support to our lower leagues, and many other corporates who have assisted the beautiful game.

I wish to stress that this is not government interference. This is government intervention, where we are acting responsibly to safeguard the continuity of our nation’s most loved sport. Football is played in every one of our 121 constituencies, and it is a game that unites Namibians across all divides.

Today, with the leadership of the Right Honourable Prime Minister as well as the Deputy Prime Minister, we have started actively engaging the mining sector, the financial services industry as well as the retail sector. This is a clarion call to the private sector and corporate Namibia to assist the Football Association in forming a consortium of companies that can collectively raise at least N$20 million to ensure that our top-tier league resumes without delay.

All official correspondences must be addressed to the Accounting Officer/Executive Director, Honourable Members, football is the hope for the Namibian child, it is the inspiration for our youth and it is the glue that binds our social fabric. It is therefore our collective responsibility to ensure that football continues.

On behalf of my Minister and our Ministry, we extend sincere gratitude to the Right Honourable Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister for their firm commitment to ensuring that football does not stand still.

Football must commence and we plea to the private sector to find means to support at this critical juncture.

It now gives me great pleasure to announce that our caring Swapo government has decided today to avail N$10 million towards the NPFL.