By DOH JAMES SONKEY IN YAOUNDE
The leader of the telecommunications sector in Cameroon, MTN has decided to elevate the level of professionalization of the local football championship in the country by investing over a period of three years a total of FCFA 3 billion (1 billion each year.)
The deal for MTN Cameroon to resume the sponsorship of the henceforth MTN Elite One and Two Championships was sealed last May 11, 2017 at the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel during a convention signing ceremony between MTN Cameroon represented by its Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Philisiwe Sibiya and the Cameroon Professional football League represented by its President, Pierre Semengue.
According to the terms of this partnership, MTN Cameroon is « the official and exclusive electronic communications and mobile financial services provider” for the organization of the National Division One Championship and of the National Division Two Championship re-baptized MTN Elite One and MTN Elite Two.
Taking the floor at the occasion, the President of the Cameroon Professional football League, Pierre Semengue while expressing gratitude, said the gesture will make MTN not only the first major sponsor of the Cameroon Professional Football League, but also the first company on the continent to do so. He reassured that the convention will galvanize and upgrade the management of the Professional Football League to greater heights to give a real professional touch to local football in Cameroon.
On her part, the CEO of MTN Cameroon, Philisiwe Sibiya stressed that MTN has always wished to contribute to the improvement of the conditions of the organization of national football and its development. She explained that “the wish of MTN is to see Cameroon regain the dynamism of its local football especially at a time when the Indomitable Lions have just returned victorious from the international scene and when the country is preparing to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.”
Madam Philisiwe Sibiya on the occasion expressed hope that the financial contribution will be used as a priority for the improvement of the condition of the player, the main actor of the game of football.
In a move to encourage competition among players and maintain interest in competitions till the last playing day of the national championship, MTN Cameroon has also introduced excellence awards. At the end of the sports season prizes will be awarded to five first teams of MTN Elite One and also five first teams of MTN Elite Two. Prizes will equally be awarded to the best players and best scorers in each of the two championships each month and at the end of the sports season.
It should be recalled that MTN was formerly the main sponsor of the local football championship in Cameroon from 2002 to 2013 and for those 11 years, the company also contributed to the re-launching, development of football clubs and the improvement of sports infrastructure through the construction of two municipal stadiums of international standards notably in Mbouda, West Region and in Guider, North Region.