This is from the BBC.


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Does President Jammeh have a point, or is this politics gone mad?

 
 Before one is tempted to criticise the President,
 one needs to find out whether the tournament
 actually attracts the entirely rural population.
 Often, it is the youths who are involved who should
 normally be helping their parents in raising crops.
 Agriculture is the main-stay of Gambia's economy. 
 All work and no play is not good for the health. 
 I think the President would have been correct if he
 had urged the tournament organisers to limit matches
 to the weekend. But banning football for the entire
 rainy season is absurb. All work and no play is not
 good for the health.
 Benedict Akeh, Cameroon
 
Ignorance is a disease that is destroying Africa.
 Jammeh is indeed a leader without vision. Do him
 know football can unify a country? Ask Liberia's
 George Weah and Preisdent Taylor. What does football
 have to do with agriculture? Jammeh should be
 concerned about educating the masses and developing
 the country instead of banning football. 
 Seltue Karweaye, Liberian living in the USA 

 Without being disrespectful, I think the President
 has lost focus and is just trying to cook up
 excuses. Football is a catalyst that could be used
 to stimulate the youth in contributing more to the
 agricultural sector. Jammeh is trying to tow the
 infamous path laid by the late Ivorien strongman
 Gen. Robert Guei who sent the Elephants into a
 detention camp after their dismal 2000 Nations Cup. 
 Opeyemi Ajala, Nigeria 

Gambia's President is typical of African leaders:
 self-centered and clueless in their daily actions in
 serving the people. What has football got to do with
 agricultural production?  Why is it that Africa
 continues to produce clueless leaders?  
 If this man is serious about increasing food
 production in his country, he should invest in
 equipment, provide fertilizers and create incentives
 to farmers i.e. interest-free loans, free medical
 treatment, free expertise and free education for
 farmer's children. Why is it that year-in year-out
 Africa continues to produce clueless leaders? 
 Derick Agbontaen, USA 

That is just so dumb. To me it's like a barrier to
 development of any sort. 
 Bola, USA 

The president is not trying to ban football or
 discourage it as some may think. He is just trying
 to help the youth as agriculture is the back-bone of
 the economy. Only the youth can help their aging
 parents to farm, and in turn help them pay their
 school fees. As a matter of fact the president has
 provided tractors and promised to provide more for
 the agricultural sector in order to self-sufficient.
 So people, especially those who are anti-government,
 want to use this forum to be negative and politicize
 the whole issue. The president is a lover of
 football and donates huge sums of money to football.
 So please let this forum die here. 
 Seedia N. Bojang, The Gambia 

I don't think football games last a whole day. Being
 a typical African man, I know that in the rural
 areas, people go to the farm in the morning and come
 back to play football in the afternoon. So I do not
 agree with the Gambia president who wants to ban a
 rural competition or tournament because of farming. 
 If he is so keen on developing agriculture he should
 make fertilizer available.
Dovi Charles, Nigeria

Rather if he is so much interested in developing the
 agricultural sector he should finance it by buying
 state-of-the-art equipment and support the process
 by making fertilizer available at cheaper rates for
 those involved. That way, there will big crops at
 the end the season. 
 Dovi Charles, Nigeria 

I want you to help me ask the Gambian President. Is
 football the only recreational activity or the only
 sporting activity in Gambia? He should as well stop
 the youths from watching T.V. during the farming
 season. 
 Iboro Esiet, Nigeria 

Since 1994, Gambian football hasn't progressed at
 all. Rather, its gone backwards. The government of
 today doesn't contribute to the development of
 football and the president can only open his big
 mouth to say no football in the rainy season. Shame
 on you! We Gambian's are aware that you don't want
 to embrace the game. 
Ballack, Banjul 

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