Vanimo Soccer Association have elected their new office bearers as part of compliance to become an associate member of the national body, PNG Football Association.
Vanimo will become the first football association to join the football family as an associate member if they fully met all the PNGFA’s compliances. Other eight members identified include Wewak, Alotau, Kerema, Milne Bay, East New Britain, Kavieng, and Popondetta.
Wewak Soccer Association was the first province for PNGFA to visit to help bring them back to PNGFA, however, they have yet to sorted out their differences.
Mr. Beschel explained the eligibility process of the election before the vote was taken. He stressed that clubs who participate in 2019 competition in Vanimo Urban Soccer Association were qualified to participate whilst others who has just joined the Association after the formation of interim committee will be abstained from taking part. Out of the 16 clubs presented, only 10 clubs were eligible to participate.
The new executive of Vanimo Soccer Association are as follows; Willie Labong (President), Mrs Jacinta Dagen (Vice President), Clement Leop (Treasurer), Ordinary Member Dickson Muliale and Women representative Freda Yaka.
PNGFA Member Association Service Manager Stanley Khanna was pleased with Vanimo Soccer Association’s attitude for agreeing by taking lead in organizing themselves to meet the PNGFA’s Compliance as stated in Article 11 (Admission,Suspension, – Item 1 and Item 2 ) and Article 13 (Admission – Item 1 and Item 2) of PNGFA Statute before they can be granted an associate membership.
PNGFA Member Association Service manager wants other centers to organize like Vanimo. There were instances were two or three groups want to take lead in running football which PNG Football Association does not want to encourage.
Ken Zilong who is the deputy chairman of PNGFA Electoral Committee accompanied Mr Khanna and Mr Beschel and conducted a free and fair election as per PNGFA Electoral processes.
PNGFA president John Kapi Natto welcomed back Vanimo into the football family saying this is first step while they have to work on other compliances to become full member.
Kapi Natto said it’s not about getting numbers but spreading football through breath and length of the country as part of his vision.
PNGFA would like to see one provincial football association per province except for Lae, Port Moresby and Kimbe which had two associations that was done under previous PNGFA regime. It is part of current regime under PNGFA president Mr Kapi Natto’s vision is to see one association per center and he would not allow as PNGFA drives the message to reach the mass populace.
