Football Association of Malawi says it will make Luwinga Technical Centre in Mzuzu the country’s main youth football development Centre.
FAM President Walter Nyamilandu Manda made the remarks on Friday afternoon when he presided over the official construction site handover to Rays Construction who will handle the third phase of the project by constructing a wall around the facility.
Nyamilandu said FAM is excited that finally it is going to make progress on the project that has stalled for quite a long time after FIFA approved the USD110,000.00 funding for the wall.
“We are happy that our mission to complete Luwinga will be fulfilled. We have a bigger dream to make a first full residential football academy in Malawi at Luwinga.
“We have eye marked this technical Centre for youth development with the establishment of a first ever residential football academy. The future of Malawi football will rely on this facility. Once we set up the School of excellence it means that all the best players in Malawi will come from this academy. We want to have a proper catchment area to groom players to international standards.
“We will concentrate on pulling all our efforts into Luwinga as we are aware that the North has lacked resources in infrastructure for a long time. We want to change the face of Mzuzu so that it should not continue lagging behind,” said Nyamilandu.
Once the wall is completed, the next phase will concentrate on constructing football pitches and school blocks and the academy is expected to be operational in three years’ time.
Northern Region Football Association chairman Lameck Khonje said he was excited that the project is finally being given full attention.
“I can say that the bar is being raised. This has been the matter of our hearts and seeing that the project is going into completion phase the whole region is excited,” said Khonje.
According to Rays Construction official Bright Kamanga they plan to finish the wall in two months’ time.
