Basketball in Africa

NEWLY elected Zambia Basketball Association (ZBA) president Shawki Fawaz has pledged to revamp the standards of the sport with emphasis to be placed on youth development programmes.
Speaking in an interview at the weekend at the National Sports Development Centre (NASDEC), Fawaz, who is owner of Kitwe-based Lunga Bullets said he would ensure that there is accountability in the ZBA to attract sponsors and develop the sport.
Fawaz said his executive committee would ensure that a good image was created for the ZBA to lure sponsors.
"We need to create a face to attract the corporate world by ensuring that there is accountability so that the sponsors can feel comfortable putting their money into the sport. All the money that comes in should be accounted for," he said.
He also urged his executive committee to serve the people who have entrusted confidence in them and that they should not go into leadership for selfish gain.
"If someone is thinking of making money then that is a wrong attitude. We should all be here to serve the interest of the sport, seeing to it that we develop the game especially at the grassroots because that is where our players are," Fawaz said.
He also expressed happiness that most of the members that were elected were part of his group and had been working in the background to come up with plans on how best the sport could be developed.
Fawaz said a website was already up and running and called on basketball lovers to come forward and play the game whole heartedly.
The Kitwe businessman is being deputised by two vice presidents Conrad Musonda (south) and Andrew Nyirenda (South) with the general secretary being Duncan Millimo, Pamela Shikaputo as national treasurer and Lovemore 'Porterfield' Sikaale as national coordinator.