On Friday, 6th February 2026, the elders and chiefs of the Kalangba village officially handed over a portion of land meant to build a multi-purpose hall, football pitch, and a hostel to camp athletes.

The construction of the Sports Centre is funded by the OlympAfrica. During the handing over ceremony, the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone NOCSL successfully held a turning of the sod ceremony at Kalanbga in the Romende Chiefdom Karene District.

According to the OlympAfrica Director in Sierra Leone Frank Turay the construction of the above Sports Centre started long ago and that Friday was just the officially handing over ceremony and the turning of the sod for the multi-purpose hall.

The occasion was graced by the Mayor of the Northern province Alie Badara Tarawally who also doubles as the 1st Vice President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Abdul Osman Turay SLFA Ex-officio members, Idrissa Massaquoi NOC Vice President, Ahmed Khanou NOC Secretary General, Cheifdom Speaker of Romende Mr. Zachariah Kanu paramount chief Dr. Kanu from the Karene District, Anna Williams Gymnastic Association President Bai Bangura NOC and several other members of the Kalagba village, Lunsar town, and the surrounding villages. The Kalagba  OlympAfrica  Centre will be the second sports centre in Sierra Leone.

However, the country Director Frank Turay said the construction of the one at the Milton Margai College has stalled for some time awaiting proper agreement between them and the college authorities. He though appealed to the authorities at the college to see reason and allow them to complete the construction of the facilities as it will help not only the college but also the surrounding schools and nearby communities.

Frank though said the Kalangba Sports Centre will have a multi-purpose hall for the use of indoor sports like basketball, volleyball, handball, conference meetings, and for several purposes. Frank went on that FIFA has promised to give them artificial turf for the two football fields at MMTC Goderich and the one at Kalangba. There will also be a tartan track for athletics, and a portion of land will be provided for field events like  throwing of Javelin and shot put.

The construction of the Kalangba Sports Centre will be completed in December this year as the funds for the projects are already available. The Mayor who also doubles as the SLFA Vice President in his keynote address told the people to embrace the project as it will help to keep their children busy and at the same time several sport stars will come from Lunsar and its surrounding villages.

The Mayor went on that at the completion of the project, and it will let even the senior national team Leone Stars use it to camp and train. The two paramount Chiefs were overwhelmed for the project, saying they will soon start to organize their chiefdom gala and their inter-community house sport meetings when the project is completed.

They assure the NOC executive that they will give them their full support at any time they need them. The turning of the sod was done by the Mayor, followed by the two paramount chiefs, the NOC executive and the other sports personalities.

According to Frank Turay, the OlymAfrica Director General Alhassane Theirno Diack will be in Sierra Leone December this year to formally open the multi-purpose hall and the football field and approved funding for the other facilities. A few weeks back, the National Olympic Committee signed an MOU with the OlympAfrica Foundation for the construction of the above Sports Centre in Kalangba, Karene District.

The National Olympic executive thanked the people of Kalangba for their goodwill gesture to offer the land and appeal to them to make good use of the facility when it is completed. The community people, in return, assure them that they will give their own little help to speed up the construction.

The ceremony was colourfully climaxed with cultural performances, including the traditional Bubu music by Amidu’s group, and several culture music were there to grace the occasion.