The Maravi Post

MZUZU--After a protracted war of words, protests and demands for compensation from occupants of the land, the multi-million kwacha Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Technical Centre under Fifa Goal Project III finally took off the ground at Luwinga in the northern Malawi city of Mzuzu Thursday with an official handing over of the proposed site.

According to FAM, the project is estimated to cost $575, 000 of which $400, 000 will be a grant from Fifa, while the local football association has sourced the balance from Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Sports minister Symon Vuwa Kaunda presided over the launching ceremony on a 4.2 ha piece of land which government donated to FAM last year. The project couldn’t, however, take off as scheduled last year due to a number of stumbling blocks, including compensations demands by occupants of the land, who have since been paid to the tune of K9.5 million kwacha through Fifa Financial Assistance Programme.

Sitbec Construction won the tender to build the technical centre, which will have two football pitches and offices of regional and district football committees in the North, a development which is expected to enhance football development at grasstoots level.

FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said: "The centre will also save on operational costs, having to move away from hiring training facilities. All in all, this will be a giant step taken towards professionalizing the game of football by having offices for football administration."   

According to FAM, construction work on the project is expected to be completed in 10 months.  
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